Ashdown Forest Poetry Competition

The Ashdown Forest Foundation has announced the winners of the Forest's second annual poetry competition.

The competition was run in partnership with the Royal Literary Fund with support from the Conservators of Ashdown Forest.

Inspired by Pooh’s connection to his iconic storybook friends, the challenge for this year’s competition entrants was to capture the theme of ‘Friendship.’

The winners of each category are:

· Ages 6-10 years: Yici Zhang, Friendship in all her forms

· Ages 11-17: Esme Coulter, salt ritual

· Age 18 and over: Miriam Mason, Conversations

This year’s esteemed panel of judges included Joseph Coelho OBE, Jane Riordan, Gyles Brandreth, Kathryn Aalto and Fiona Sampson. The winners are invited to meet the judges for a formal presentation at Ashdown Forest on 7th July.

Gyles Brandreth, author of AA Milne and Winnie-the-Pooh biography Somewhere, a Boy and Bear, said: "Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends have been friends to the world for a hundred years - since the first Winnie-the-Pooh stories were published in 1926.

"As someone who loves Pooh and poetry - and the magic of the Ashdown Forest - I was honoured to be one of the judges of this special competition marking Pooh’s and I’m thrilled by the quality - and thoughtfulness and heart - of the amazing winning entries. Congratulations!”

The three winning poems are available to read on the Ashdown Forest website – Poetry competition winners 2026 | The Conservators of Ashdown Forest