Children's Poetry Competition 2026 for BBC East and the Latitude Festival

This is a competition for children who live, or go to school, in Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire or Buckinghamshire and are aged 7 to 11 years old.

Entries must be submitted by an adult (parent/guardian/teacher) by midday 24 April 2026.

Poems should be on the theme of ‘generations’. They can be any length up to 200 words.

Judges will select a finalist from each of the six local radio areas, who will be invited to perform their poems live at the Latitude Festival and broadcast on BBC Local Radio, with a weekend family ticket for the festival.

One of these will be selected as the overall winner, who will also get a backstage tour at the festival.

Please see the full terms and conditions and our privacy notice before submitting.

• Language – English only entries. Entrants will have to submit a written copy of their poem.

• Geographic Boundaries – Entries must be from someone who either lives, or goes to a school, with a Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire or Buckinghamshire postcode, only.

You can also choose to upload an audio recording of you reading your poem as well, which may be played on the radio after the closing date. This will not affect the judges’ decisions.