Tower Poetry Competition winners announced

8 May 2025

Christ Church, University of Oxford is delighted to announce the winners of the 2025 Christopher Tower Poetry Competition, the most lucrative prize for young poets (16–18) in the UK.

Judged by Camille Ralphs, Lemn Sissay OBE, and Dr Anna Nickerson, over 1,700 submissions were whittled down to just 13 prize winners. With a first prize of £5,000, second prize of £3,000, third prize of £1,500, and 10 'Commended' awards of £500 each, the total prize money amounted to more than £14,000.

Dr Nickerson said: ‘This was a particularly special competition as we were marking the 25th anniversary of Tower Poetry and the 500th anniversary of the foundation of Cardinal College, later re-established as Christ Church. The theme, "Roots", was an invitation to think about origins: the foundations of an institution, the sources of identity, the beginnings of a poem. We were looking for originality, but that originality needed to be grounded in an awareness of the rich history of English poetry. It was a pleasure to read so much accomplished new verse-writing, and we congratulate the winners.’

Winners and their guests were invited to Christ Church to celebrate on 23 April, joined by members of the Tower Family. Camille Ralphs announced the winners and The Very Revd Professor Sarah Foot, Dean of Christ Church, presented certificates.

The 2025 Tower Poetry Competition winners with the Dean and judges — This year's three winners with The Very Revd Professor Sarah Foot, Camille Ralphs and Dr Anna Nickerson

Commended

Freya Beer, house tudor

Charlie Bush, Lay me where I am loved. Bury me where I learned to ride my bike.

Megan Cheshire, The Roots Have my Shape

Toby Douglass, Secondary Succession (or The Antique Shop)

Tabitha Giddings, In the Warm

Charlie Jolley, Emily Taylor

Sasha Mostafa, The Foundations of Western Society

Ashbah Rehman, Kafir

Dawn Sands, Motorway Eden

Cassia Stuttard, Minsmere Marshes

View all the winning and commended poems here.

Attendees of the 2025 Tower Poetry Competition award ceremony

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