This year the prize is for Poetry

The challenge – open this year to children who live or go to school in Redbridge – is to write a poem inspired by Valentines Mansion. In future years the subject might be, for example, drawing or painting, photography, prose writing etc and for a different age bracket. 

The closing date is 30th April 2023.

Winners for this year will be announced in July and prizes of £60, £40 and £20 will be awarded at a ceremony at the Mansion.

We don’t know who started the tradition of poetry at Valentines but we do know that at least two published authors lived here! Charles Raymond’s daughter Sophia (1753-1802 and Sarah Ingleby’s husband Clement Mansfield Ingleby (1823-1886).

Winners will be announced in July!