POET LAUREATE SUPPORTS 2007 TS ELIOT PRIZE SHADOWING SCHEME

Following last year’s successful launch of the Poetry Book Society’s Shadowing Scheme, in which secondary school students were invited to shadow the judging panel, this year the PBS, with the full support of Poet Laureate Andrew Motion, is again inviting students to read, study and debate some of the best poetry published in 2007.

Andrew Motion says:

“The Shadowing Scheme, run in tandem with the T S Eliot Prize, is a marvellous idea – inspired and inspiring. By combining pleasure with study, it broadens the reach of contemporary poetry, taking it beyond the walls of the classroom and out into the wide world.”

The initial scheme was a great success with many UK secondary schools taking part, and thousands of students reading the work of the shortlisted poets.

The Poetry Book Society’s Shadowing Scheme, run in collaboration with the English and Media Centre, through its quarterly magazine for A Level students, emagazine, encourages teachers and students to read poetry outside the National Curriculum or set-text lists. Soon after the T S Eliot Prize shortlist is announced on 1st November, three poems from each of the 10 shortlisted collections will be available to download from www.poetrybookshoponline.com. A teachers’ guide will be provided at www.emagazine.org.uk, and students can take part in an online poll for their choice of winner.

The PBS and the English & Media Centre will also be running an:

A-LEVEL STUDENT COMPETITION

A-Level students are invited to enter our competition to write a 500-word rationale justifying their choice of winning poetry collection for the 2007 T S Eliot Prize. The winning student will receive:

• Tickets to the 2007 T S Eliot Prize Readings and an invitation to the award ceremony in January, with accommodation as appropriate
• Signed copies of the winning book and the student’s choice of winning book
• The opportunity to meet the T S Eliot Prize-winner
• A year’s subscription to emagazine (which will also publish the winning rationale)
• A year’s PBS membership

HOW TO ENTER

3 poems from each of the shortlisted collections will be available from www.poetrybookshoponline.com on 5th November. Copies of all the shortlisted titles can also be ordered through the website. The deadline for submitting competition entries and voting on the online poll is 10th December. The winner of the A-Level student competition will be announced at the award ceremony in London on 14th January 2008.

The online poll at the English and Media Centre’s website, www.emagazine.org.uk, also opens on 5th November.

ABOUT THE T S ELIOT PRIZE

The Poetry Book Society is delighted to announce that the TS Eliot Prize now awards the largest cash prize in British poetry. Throughout its 15-year history the Prize has been a much sought-after accolade; now, thanks to the generosity of Mrs Valerie Eliot, the winner of the 2007 Prize (to be announced in January 2008) will receive £15,000, increased from £10,000. And, in a move which will be widely welcomed, each of the shortlisted poets will also receive a cheque for £1,000.

Notes for editors

The T S Eliot Prize

The T S Eliot prize was inaugurated in 1993 to celebrate the Poetry Book Society's 40th birthday, and to honour its founding poet. Now in its fifteenth year, the T S Eliot Prize is firmly established as the UK’s most prestigious award for new poetry.

Previous winners (in chronological order) are: Ciaran Carson, Paul Muldoon, Mark Doty, Les Murray, Don Paterson, Ted Hughes, Hugo Williams, Michael Longley, Anne Carson, Alice Oswald, Don Paterson, George Szirtes, Carol Ann Duffy and Seamus Heaney.

This year’s T S Eliot Prize judging panel comprises Sujata Bhatt and W N Herbert, and is now chaired by Peter Porter, as regrettably U A Fanthorpe has had to resign as Chair of the judges due to ill health.

The 10-strong shortlist will be announced on 1st November and the winner will be announced at the award ceremony on 14th January 2008.

The Prize is supported by the T S Eliot Foundation and the winner’s and shortlisted poets’ cheques are generously provided by Mrs Valerie Eliot.

The Poetry Book Society

Founded by T S Eliot in 1953, the Poetry Book Society, www.poetrybooks.co.uk, is a unique poetry organisation which provides its international membership with up to date information about contemporary poetry. The PBS Selectors choose the best new poetry collection of the quarter, which is sent to PBS members along with the Bulletin review.

The PBS also sells books and the full range of Poetry Archive CDs through its commercial site, www.poetrybookshoponline.com, and runs the Children’s Poetry Bookshelf, www.childrenspoetrybookshelf.co.uk

The English and Media Centre

The English and Media Centre, www.englishandmedia.co.uk, is a not-for-profit educational publisher and teachers' centre providing high quality teaching materials and Continuing Professional Development for teachers of English and Media in the UK and across the world. The Centre’s emagazine for A-level students of English subjects is published quarterly.

For further information please contact:

The Poetry Book Society
Pinda Bryars
pinda@poetrybooks.co.uk
020 7833 9247

The English and Media Centre
Barbara Bleiman
barbara@englishandmedia.co.uk
020 7359 8080