Winners 2025

Jazz Track Titles - April 2025

Poetry:

1st Place: Pat Simpson - One Night

2nd Place: Jan Rees - Coup de Foudre

3rd Place: Ian Welland - Can You Dig It

4th Place: Mike Lansdown - High Roller

Flash Fiction:

1st Place: David Elliott - Take the A Train

2nd Place: Joanna Bawa - When She Passes

3rd Place: Andrea Neidle

A Letter To My Father

4th Place: Sumi Watters - All The Feels

Poetry - Feb 2025

"Twenty"

1st Place: Joanna Bawa - Made It

2nd Place: Andrea Neidle - Twenty Promises to Keep

3rd Place: Mike Lansdown - A Writer's Pean

4th Place: John Ward - A Poet's Prayer

Flash Fiction - Feb 2025

"Twenty"

1st Place: Mike Lansdown -

It's a long, long way...

2nd Place: Sweeda Luintel -

Odd Things at Mrs Brown

3rd Place: David Elliott - Procrastination

4th Place: Joanna Bawa - Icosahedron; and, Sumi Watters - By Invitation Only

WINNERS 2024

Flash Fiction - Dec 2024 / Jan 2025

"Message in a Bottle"

1st place: Louise Welland - EFA

2nd place: Sumi Watters - The Reset

3rd place: Joanna Bawa - Operation Greyday

4th place: Caroline Osborne -

At the Setting of the Sun

Poetry - Nov 2024

"The Edge of Sleep"

1st Place: Mike Lansdown - Ticking

2nd Place: Liz Shaw - Lullaby for a Little Punk

Joint 3rd Place: Andrea Neidle - Sleepover;

Joanna Bawa - 2am

Flash Fiction - Oct 2024

"Peer Pressure"

1st Place: Ann Crago - What's The Point?

2nd Place: Sumi Watters - Fiery Glow

3rd Place: Joanna Bawa -

The Price of Being with Jez

4th Place: Louise Welland - Keeping Mum

Writer's Block - 2024

Flash Fiction - Oct 2024

"Tidying Up"

1st Place: Joanna Bawa - DeathDefy

2nd Place: Andrea Neidle - Cosmetico

3rd Place: Mike Lansdown -

The Enemy Within

Poetry - August 2024

"The Last One"

1st Place: Mike Lansdown - Astray

2nd Place: Liz Shaw - Bitter Sweet

3rd Place: Mike Lansdown - Damned

4th Place: Joanna Bawa

On The Death of a Weed

Flash Fiction - July 2024

"Ripples"

1st Place: Louise Welland - Preserved

Joint 2nd Place: Ann Crago - Still Waters

Caroline Osborne - Extra Time

Joint 4th Place:

David Elliott - The Last Ripple

Mike Lansdown - Storm Surge

Poetry - May 2024

Flash Fiction - April 2024

"Portrait"

1st Place: Joanna Bawa - In Trieste

Joint 2nd Place: Lucy Houbart - The Photo of the Barefoot Child

Mike Lansdown - The Channel Not Taken

4th Place: Steve Clifford - The Portrait of Damien Hirst

Jan Rees- The Skivvy

Flash Fiction - April 2024

"Eclipse"

1st Place: Joanna Bawa - Umbra, Penumbra

Joint 2nd Place: Mike Lansdown - A Cream Tea

Louise Welland - Misconstrued

4th Place: Steve Clifford - Cessation

Song Lyrics - March 2024

Flash Fiction - April 2024

Song Lyrics - March 2024

"Song Lyrics"

1st Place: Louise Welland - Sobriety?

2nd Place: Joanna Bawa - Lockdown Blues

3rd place: Chris McDermott -

Walkin' in Watford

4th place: Sumi Watters -

Watford Writersville

Flash Fiction - Feb 2024

Song Lyrics - March 2024

"Coincidences"

1st Place: Mike Lansdown - Bedazzled

2nd Place: Louise Welland - Today's News

3rd place: Caroline Osborne -

Perils of the Carousel

4th place: Andrea Neidle -

Mother of the Bride

Poetry - Jan 2024

Flash Fiction - Feb 2024

Poetry - Jan 2024

"Connections"

1st Place: Mike Lansdown -

A View from a Window

2nd Place: Mike Lansdown -

Veni Creator Spiritu

Joint 3rd Place: Helen Nicell - Meandering

Jan Rees - Valparaiso 1906

Winners 2020 - 2023

Flash Fiction - Dec 2023

"The Gift"

1st Place: Sumi Watters

Grate Expectations

2nd Place: Ann Crago

Love

3rd Place: Louise Welland

Love at First Sight

4th Place: Meville Lovatt

First Love (a monologue)

Flash Fiction - Nov 2023

"The Art of Writing"

1st Place: Liz Shaw

Angel of the North

Joint 2nd Place:

Sumi Watters - It's You

Louise Welland - Three

4th Place:

Andrea Neidle - Overheard in the Bar

Poetry - Oct 2023

Duologue - Sept 2023

"Magic"

1st Place: Mike Lansdown

Writing (Weaving Words)

2nd Place: Mike Lansdown

Marcel Le Magnifique

3rd Place: Andrea Neidle

Cigam

Joint 4th Place:

Kay Hall - Imaginings

Judy Klimt - Greatest Gift

Duologue - Sept 2023

"Why Do You Always Do This?"

1st Place: Sumi Watters

Toupee or not Toupee

2nd Place: Louise Welland

Chewing the Fat

3rd Place: Ian Welland

The Prosecution of Captain Thomas

4th Place: Ian Welland

Satellites

Best Actor Award:

Pat Simpson

for her performance in Satellites

Poetry - July 2023

"The Crossing"

1st Place: Jan Rees

A Tale Told in a Tapestry

2nd Place: Mike Lansdown

Remembrance

3rd Place: Steve Clifford

Rebirth

4th Place: Louise Welland

Pecking Order

Flash Fiction - June 2023

"Discovery or Discoveries"

1st Place: Sumi Watters

A Kind Society

2nd Place: Sumi Watters

Third From The Left

Joint 3rd Place:

Geoff Brown

Hiding in Plain Sight

Helen Nicell

I'm Dreaming of Pin Christmas

Poetry - April 2023

"Day Out/Grand Day Out"

1st Place: Mike Lansdown

Pie and Mash

Joint 2nd Place:

Melville Lovatt - The Laughing Clown

Helen Nicell - The Picnic

4th Place:

Louise Welland

Fun In The Sun

Flash Fiction - March 2023

"Tight Situation"

1st Place: Ann Crago

Fitting In

2nd Place: Brian Bold

Trading Places

3rd Place:

Andrea Neidle

Coronation

Poetry - Feb 2023

"Transformation"

1st Place: Louise Welland

Legs Eleven

2nd Place: Mike Lansdown

We Used To Enjoy Parties

Joint 3rd Place:

Susan Bennett - The Circle of Life

Liz Shaw - Please Don't Come To My Funeral;

Louise Welland - Why Change?

Flash Fiction - Jan 2023

"Fairy Tales/Fairy Story"

1st Place: Mike Lansdown

The Magpie and the King

2nd Place: Geoff Brown

A Modern Pied Piper

Joint 3rd Place:

David Elliott -A Slow News Day;

Helen Nicell - The Burn;

Liz Shaw - Magical Mystery Tor.

Poetry - Dec 2022 / Jan 2023

"Deadline"

1st Place - Louise Welland Take Off

2nd Place - Jan Rees The Camel's Back

3rd Place - Andrea Neidle Love Is Blind

4th Place - Kay Hall Procrastination

Flash Fiction - Dec 2022 / Jan 2023

"Deadline"

1st Place - Liz Shaw The Last Train

Joint 2nd Place: Geoff Brown The Longest Wait; and

Sumi Watters New Year's Resolutions

Joint 4th Place: Lesley Kerr Just in Time; and

Louise Welland Busking For Change

Winners 2020 - 2022

Flash Fiction - 21 Nov 22

Flash Fiction - 26 Sept 22

Flash Fiction - 21 Nov 22

"Lost"

1st place: Sumi Watters

Where You Need To Be

2nd Place: Kay Hall

See Me Feel Me

3rd Place: Geoff Brown

Lost in Translation

Joint 4th Place: Melville Lovatt

The Deserter and

Pat Simpson A Sudden Storm

Poetry - 17 Oct 22

Flash Fiction - 26 Sept 22

Flash Fiction - 21 Nov 22

"Body Parts"

1st place: Sumi Watters

Rock Your Dad Bod

2nd Place: Liz Shaw

Ladies of a Certain Age

Joint 3rd Place: Melville Lovatt

Outside the Crematorium and

Helen Nicell Making A Boobie

Flash Fiction - 26 Sept 22

"The Storm"

1st place: Helen Nicell

The Calm Before The Storm

2nd Place: Brian Bold

When You Drive Through a Storm

Joint 3rd Place: Sumi Watters

A Preposterous Proposal and

Louise Welland - The Cost of Fish

Poetry - 15 Aug 22

Flash Fiction - 18 July 22

Flash Fiction - 26 Sept 22

"Super Power"

1st Place - Liz Shaw Alpha and Omega

2nd Place - Mike Lansdown Knave

3rd Place - Andrea Neidle

A Super Powerful Thank You

4th Place - Louise Welland X Ray Specs

Flash Fiction - 15 Aug 22

Flash Fiction - 18 July 22

"Super Power"

1st Place - Mike Lansdown

For I Have Sinned

2nd Place - Sumi Watters

The Invisible People

3rd Place - Helen Nicell

Bottling The Sunshine

4th Place - Ian Welland

All Shapes and Guises

Flash Fiction - 18 July 22

"Next Door"

1st Place: Sumi Watters

The Gifts He Brings

2nd Place: Helen Nicell - Happy New Home

3rd Place: Louise Welland

Love Thy Neighbour

Joint 4th Place: Mike Lansdown

The Joneses; and

Liz Shaw - Moon Watch

Poetry Comp - 20 June 22

Flash Fiction - 23 May 22

"Peace"

1st Place: Sumi Watters - Opposing Views

(A reverse poem)

2nd Place: Andrea Neidle - 3am

3rd Place: Jan Rees - Home Coming

4th Place: Judy Klimt - Oblivion's Land

Flash Fiction - 23 May 22

"The Classic"

1st Place: Sumi Watters - Broken Promises

2nd Place: David Elliott - Daddioes

3rd Place: Brian Bold - Brothers

4th Place: Jo Morgan - Pressure To Perform

Poetry Comp - 18 April 22

Flash Fiction - 23 May 22

Poetry Comp - 18 April 22

"The Ornament"

1st Place: Helen Nicell (pictured above) Shall We Dance

2nd Place: Sumi Watters - Counting Blessings

Joint 3rd Place: Andrea Neidle - The Bridal Headband

Liz Shaw - Granny's Mantelpiece

Flash Fiction - 21 Mar 22

Poetry Comp - 18 April 22

"The Disappearance"

1st Place: Helen Nicell (pictured above) Runner Beans

2nd Place: David Elliott -

Port Out - Starboard Home

3rd Place: Sumi Watters - Airbrushed

4th Place: Sumi Watters - A Good Life

Writer's Block - 2021 Crime Fiction

1st Place: Andrea Neidle (pictured above receiving the Writer's Block Trophy from Helen Nicell) - My Killer Blog

2nd Place: Rob Summers - Within

Joint 3rd Place: Geoff Brown -

Passengers from Hell;

Liz Shaw - The Living Daylights

RESULTS WERE ANNOUNCED on 28 FEB 2022

Poetry Competition - February 2022

'Changes'

1st Place: Mike Lansdown (pictured above)

A Change of Air

2nd Place: Mike Lansdown - The Seagull

3rd Place: Louise Welland - Transition

Joint 4th Place: Andrea Neidle - 9 months

Sumi Watters - The Only Constant

Flash Fiction 24 Jan 22

Poetry Competition 22 Nov 2021

'The Overheard Conversation'

1st Place: Geoff Brown (pictured above)

A Surreal Soundscape

2nd Place: Brian Bold

Silence Is Golden

3rd Place: Helen Nicell

Dear John

Poetry Competition 22 Nov 2021

'Illusion'

1st Place: Mike Lansdown (pictured above)

A Bend In The Truth

2nd Place: Louise Welland

Let There Be Light

3rd Place: Jan Rees The Musician

Flash Fiction - 18 Oct 2021

Poetry Competition 22 Nov 2021

I Write The Songs - 20 Sept 2021

'The Key (or The Quay')

1st Place: Chris McDermott (pictured above) The Darkness - a story about Afghanistan

Joint 2nd Place: Helen Gordon A Reward

Joint 2nd Place: Andrea Neidle Freedom

Joint 2nd Place: Sumi Watters By the Dawn's early light

Joint 2nd Place: Louise Welland This is Me

I Write The Songs - 20 Sept 2021

'I Write The Songs'

1st Place: Louise Welland (pictured above) Goodbye Child

Joint 2nd Place: Helen Nicell -

Avenue Charisma

Marion Witton - The Nurse

4th Place: Helen Nicell - My Cake Has Risen

Flash Fiction - 16 August 2021

'The Mistake'

1st Place: Geoff Brown (pictured above) Quick Thinking

2nd Place: David Elliott Like Clockwork

3rd Place: Helen Nicell Final Destination

4th Place: Mike Lansdown No Regrets and Ian Welland Same Old Train

Poetry Competition 19 July 2021

"Emerging / Coming Out"

1st Place: Jan Rees (pictured above)

Putting On A Show

2nd Place: Andrea Neidle - Poetry Pleas

3rd Place: Louise Welland

The Writer's Family

4th Place: Louise Welland

Be You

Flash Fiction - 7 June 2021

"First"

1st Place: Mike Lansdown (pictured above)

Reflection

2nd Place: Mike Lansdown -

One Bright Summer's Day

3rd Place: Lesley Kerr - A Dreadful Truth
4th Place: Liz Shaw - It's Time

Flash Fiction - 3 May 2021

"Disappointment"

1st Place: Brian Bold (pictured above)

Separate Lives

2nd Place: Jan Rees - The Gipsy Fair

3rd Place: Ann Crago -

Not Waving, But Drowning
4th Place: Susan DeSilva -

The Wrong Side of 40

Flash Fiction - 22 March 2021

"Book Titles"

1st Place: Mike Lansdown (pictured above)

Symphonia

Joint 2nd Place: Liz Shaw - Scouting for Bots

Joint 2nd Place: Geoff Brown -

Counting and Other Quirks
4th Place: Lesley Kerr - Survivor

Plays - 22 February 2021

Flash Fiction - 23 November 2020

Flash Fiction - 22 March 2021

1st Place: Helen Nicell (pictured above)

Knit One, Purl One

2nd Place: Jan Rees - Nancy
3rd Place: John Ward - Whatever Happens In Your Heart

Flash Fiction - 18 January 2021

Flash Fiction - 23 November 2020

"On The Brink"

1st Place: Mike Lansdown (pictured above) - The New World

2nd Place: Geoff Brown - The Wrong Word
Joint 3rd Place: Liz Shaw - Anticipation
and: Helen Nicell - Tinder Timeline

Flash Fiction - 23 November 2020

"Song Title"

1st Place: Helen Nicell (pictured above) - Baby Love

2nd Place: Helen Nicell - Girls Night In
3rd Place: Louise Welland - For A Dancer
4th Place: Ann Crago - Midnight At The Oasis

Flash Fiction - 26 October 2020

"Home

1st Place:

Jan Rees (pictured above) - A Fresh Start

2nd Place:

Helen Nicell - Home Sweet Home

Joint 3rd Place:

Lesley Kerr - A Doll's House

Geoff Brown - A New Home

Flash Fiction - 28 Sept 2020

Flash Fiction - 26 October 2020

"The Year 2020"

1st Place:

Kay Hall (pictured above) - Wake Up Call

Joint 2nd Place:

Louise Welland - Through The Rabbit Hole

Mike Lansdown - Twenty

4th Place:

Helen Nicell - The Air of Discontent

Plays - 31 August 2020

We had 13 excellent entries to our very first 'Plays' competition. Congratulations to Jo Morgan who scooped first place; and well done to all our placed finalists.

1st Place:

Jo Morgan - This Ends At The Bedroom Door

2nd Place:

Chris McDermott - This Stops At The Bedroom Door

3rd Place:

Jan Rees - Friends

4th Place:

Chris McDermott - Saved

Flash Fiction - 20 July 2020

Watford Area Arts Forum Vision Art 2020

"Museum Piece"

In association with

Bushey Museum and Art Gallery

Joint 1st Place:

Another Life: A Fairytale by Lesley Kerr; Framed by Brian Bold

2nd Place: Repeating The Pattern

by Jan Rees

3rd Place: A Precious Secret

by Mike Lansdown

Commended:

Agony by Ann Crago

A Good Match by David Elliott

Girl in Blue by Chris McDermott

Flash Fiction - 22 June 2020

Watford Area Arts Forum Vision Art 2020

"Face At The Window"

1st Place: Chasing Pavements by Helen Nicell (Pictured above)

2nd Place: Somebody I Used To Know by Ann Crago

3rd Place: Do You Ever by Jo Morgan

4th Place: The Victim by Pat Simpson

Watford Area Arts Forum Vision Art 2020

Congratulations to Helen Nicell (pictured above) and Andrea Neidle who achieved 1st and 2nd place respectively in the Watford Area Arts Forum 2020 competition.

Poetry Competition - 1 June 2020

"Planet"

1st Place: The Dealer by Mike Lansdown (Pictured above)

2nd Place: The Voyage by Louise Welland

3rd Place: The Choice by Jo Hopkinson

Flash Fiction - 11 May 2020

"Museum Piece"

In association with

Watford Art Gallery

1st Place: Waiting by Jan Rees

(Pictured above)

2nd Place: Winter Evening by Helen Nicell

3rd Place: Empty by Ann Crago

Poetry Competition - 13 April 2020

Our first "Online" Poetry Competition - Open theme.

1st Place: Dad by Mike Lansdown

(Pictured above)

2nd Place: Where Has God Gone?

by Andrea Neidle

3rd Place: The World Is On Mute

by Helen Nicell

4th Place: This Land of Wales

by Angela Williams

Flash Fiction - 16 Mar 2020

Poetry Competition - 13 April 2020

"Memory/Memories"

1st Place: The Past Is Another Country by Andrea Neidle (Pictured above)

2nd Place: Mind Games by Jo Morgan

3rd Place: Twists In Time by Kay Hall

Flash Fiction - 17 Feb 2020

Flash Fiction - 16 Mar 2020

Flash Fiction - 17 Feb 2020

"Obsession"

1st Place: Steve Clifford (Centre Left)

2nd Place: Pat Simpson (Left)

Joint 3rd Place: Angela Williams

(Centre Right)

and Helen Nicell (Right)

Flash Fiction - 13 Jan 2020

Flash Fiction - 16 Mar 2020

Flash Fiction - 17 Feb 2020

"Sunrise"

1st Place: Mike Lansdown (Centre)

2nd Place: Rob Summers (Right)

3rd Place: Geoff Brown (Left)