Current and upcoming competitions
The Society operates a varied competitions programme throughout the year, with all trophies, certificates and cash prizes now awarded at an annual prize-giving ceremony in London.
The majority of our competitions are open to Professional and Professional Associate members only, although we do occasionally open up entry to selected competitions to friends and non-members. Full details of how to enter each competition are published in The Journal magazine and may also appear on our facebook and twitter pages.
Before entering, please read the rules. Please direct any queries to the Competitions Co-ordinator vivienhampshire@btinternet.com.
2018 John Walter Salver winner Sylvia Kent with judge Elaine Everest
John Walter Salver Competition 2026
For a fictional short story of no more than 1500 words Theme: Goodbye Prize: £100 Closing date: 29 August 2026 Judge: Claire Buckle Entry fee: £5 per story Competition open to SWWJ members only Full details in our regular email bulletins and in The...
Past Competitions
The Elizabeth Longford Rose Bowl for Poetry 2026
Theme: Motherhood
Judged by : Shirley Anne Cook
Winner: Margaret Gallop : Mountain Hare Mother
Highly Commended : Alice Fowler: Looking Forward Looking Back
Winner Takes All Competition Spring 2026
Theme: Dear Diary
Judged by: Valerie Smith
Winner: Kay Seeley: Grace’s New Diary
Shortlisted:
Roberta Grieve: Excerpt from Alice Liddell’s Diary
Sarah Swatridge: Queen Anne’ s Confinement
Elaine Everest Memorial Competition for Romantic Fiction 2026 (saga)
Judged by: Jean Fullerton, Lizzie Lane and Francesca Capaldi
Winner: Andrea Davies, writing as Lily Watson: The Liverpool Library Girls
Second: Katie Carr: Harvest Home
Third: Lisa Firth, writing as Betty Firth: Sweethearts of the Forces
Highly Commended: Jill Steeples: A New Start at Paradise Fields
John Walter Salver 2025
Theme: The Day I Met…
The Elizabeth Longford Rose Bowl for Poetry 2025
Theme: Promise
Judged by: Vic Pickup
Winner: Vivien Brown: Best Friend Remembered
Highly commended: Vivien Brown: Nine Lives
Highly commended: Dee la Vardera: Homeward
STORY TO SCREEN Competition 2025
Judged by Benita Cullingford and Anne S Murray
Winner: Lynne Hackles: Final Harvest
Runners-up: Lynne Hackles: Guests From Hell and Janet Howson: A Woman, A Dog and A Dark Secret
Winner Takes All Spring 2025
Theme: Trees
Judged by Helen Yendall
Winner: Jenny Worstall
Runners-up: Beth Elliot and Sanja Moore-Kamberi
John Walter Salver Competition 2024
John Walter Salver Competition 2024
Theme; Medicine
Judged by: Dr Carol Cooper
Winner: Jenny Worstall: A Taste of Your Own Medicine
Highly Commended: Anne Murray: Staying Alive
Winner Takes All Summer 2024
Winner Takes All Competition 2024
Theme: Cats
Judged by: Claire Dyer
Winner: Beryl P Brown: Cat Flap
Commended: Marian Myers: Allergic to Cats
Commended: Cecilia Blaney: The Putin Stare.
The Elizabeth Longford Rose Bowl for Poetry 2024
Theme: Break
Judged by: Fiona Larkin
Winner: Alice Fowler: You’re Breaking Up
Highly commended: Margaret Gallop: My Grandfather Breaking Stones
Highly Commended: Margaret Gallop: Gimme a Break
Jane Austen Competition 2024
Theme: Your favourite Austen character
Judged by: Jessica Bull
Winner: Margaret Mounsdon: Margaret Dashwood, Sense and Sensibility
SWWJ 130th Anniversary Competition
Sponsored by Forage London
Trophy sponsored by Pamela Payne
Theme: Biography (post 1894)
Judged by: Mary Rensten and Suzannah Dunn
Winner: Ann Mary Stanton: ‘Lotte Stam Beese’
Second place: Alice Fowler: ‘The Bravest Deed’
Third place: Maggie Craig: ‘Born to be a Lady But Never Required’
John Walter Salver Competition 2023
Theme: Historical Fiction
Judged by: Francesca Capaldi
Winner: Marilyn Pemberton: Edgar and Charles
Highly commended: Roberta Grieve: ‘A Home of Her Own’ and Mary Rensten: ‘Waiting’
Winner Takes All Competition Autumn 2023
Theme: The Question
Judged by: Celia Anderson
Winner: Dee La Vardera: Passer-by with Dog Two
Also shortlisted: Dee La Vardera and Beryl P Brown
Winner Takes All Competition Spring 2023
Theme: Butterfly
Judged by: Lynne Hackles
Winner: Kay Seeley ‘The Chrysalis’
Also shortlisted: Adrienne Vaughan and Beryl Fleming
The Elizabeth Longford Rose Bowl for Poetry 2023
Theme: Growth
Judged by: Cheryl Moskowitz
Winner: Claire Dyer: The Surgeon Wife
Second: Dee La Vardera: The Madiba Shirt
Third: Val Dunmore: Teenage Son
John Walter Salver Competition 2022
Theme: Landmark, Non-fiction
Judged by: Simon Whaley
Winner: Pamela Payne: The Berlin Wall
Second: Ann Mary Stanton: My Hidden Landmark in South West France
Third: Mari Wallace: A Lesson in American History
Winner Takes All - Spring 2022
Theme: Opening Line: “He/She opened the oven door …”
Judged by: Caroline James
Winner: Beryl P Brown: “Piece of Cake”
Also shortlisted: Kay Seeley and Jill Rutherford
Platinum Jubilee Competition 2022
Theme: The Life & Reign of H.M. Queen Elizabeth II
Judged by: Lady Sandra Howard
Winner: Jenny Worstall: ‘Reflections on a Performance of God Save the Queen, St. Paul’s Cathedral, April 2022
The Elizabeth Longford Rose Bowl for Poetry 2022
Theme: Calm
Judged by: Cecilia Knapp
Winner: Claire Dyer: Raw Material
Second: Margaret Gallop: Your grandad’s lighting a fire
Third: Dorothy Pope: Washing My Doll’s Dress
John Walter Salver Competition 2021
Theme: Christmas short story
Judged by: Kirsty Bunting
Winner: Natalie Kleinman : If You Wish Really Hard
Second: Helen Balkwill: A Christmas in Time
Third: Patrick Forsyth : Ding Dong Grumpily on High
Winner Takes All - Autumn 2021
Theme: Bags
Judged by: Rhoda Baxter
Winner: Janet Howson : Bags of Room
Also shortlisted: Dorothy Pope and Patrick forsyth
Winner Takes All - Spring 2021
Theme: Music
Judged by: Jenny Worstall
Winner: Kay Seeley Title: God’s Orchestra
Also shortlisted: Beatrice Holloway and Wendy Pike
The Elizabeth Longford Rose Bowl for Poetry 2021
Unthemed
Judged by: Jacqueline Saphra
Winner: Dorothy Pope: Lockdown
Second: Marilyn Pemberton: I would have known
Third: Margaret Gallop: Chill January on the Embankment Path
Grand Prize Draw ‘Book Bundle’ competition 2020
For introducing a new member to the SWWJ
Winner: Marilyn Pemberton
John Walter Salver Competition 2020
Theme: Women, Non-fiction
Judged by: Jonathan Ungoed-Thomas
Winner: Sue Moules: A moment in the 1960s
Second: Mari Wallace: Gram
Third: Benita Cullingford: Female Masters
Winner Takes All 2020
Theme: There’s no business like show business
Judged by: Lynne Shelby
Winner: Jenny Worstall
Title: The Show Must Go On
The Elizabeth Longford Rose Bowl for Poetry 2020
Theme: Food
Judged by:Kate Potts
Winner:: Valerie Tigwell: Man in a black coat
Second:: Dorothy Pope: Sugar Starved
Third:: Vivien Brown : Banquets
The Floella Benjamin Trophy Competition 2019
A ‘paperless’ competition, open to all.
Theme: Children are our future.
Judged by: Baroness Benjamin of Beckenham, OBE,DL (Floella Benjamin)
Winner: Helen Bartlett (writing as Ella Cook): A Monologue From a Child in Care – Boxes and Labels
Shortlist: Meg Gardner, Marilyn Pemberton, Susan Wickham, Lynette Creswell, Jill Wilkinson, Denise Telford, Rob Nisbet, Laura Blake, Margaret Gallop, Rebekah Heaney, Celia Anderson.
Winner Takes All 2019
Theme: A closing door
Judged by: Pamela Payne
Winner: Beryl P Brown
Title: Life at Sea
John Walter Salver Competition 2019
Short story. Theme: A surprise ending
Judged by: Clare Cooper
Winner: Sylvia Kent: Consequences
Second: Patrick Forsyth: Branching Out
Third: Beryl Fleming: The Orchid
The Anniversary 2019
Judged by: Literary agent, Rebecca Ritchie
Winner: Beryl Fleming: The Letter That Was Never Posted
Second: Marilyn Pemberton: No Reminder Needed
Third: Roberta Grieve: Gran’s Special Day
The Elizabeth Longford Rose Bowl for Poetry 2019 Unthemed
Judged by MIRIAM NASH
Winner: Finola Holiday: Living Alone
Second: Dorothy Pope: How Old
Third: Claire Dyer: Poem in which you marry Marilyn Monroe instead of me
John Walter Salver Competition 2018: Article
Theme: Something you don’t know about me
Judged by: Elaine Everest
Winner: Sylvia Kent:
My Secret Weapon Plus a Little Espionage
Second: Pamela Payne:
Up, Up and Away in Her Flying Machine
Third: Beryl Fleming:
The Artful Dodger
The Elizabeth Longford Rose Bowl for Poetry 2018
Theme: Water
Judged by Claire Dyer
Winner: Valerie Tigwell:
Philippa at the Outdoor Pool
Second: Valerie Dunmore: Perseids
Third: Finola Holiday: Reflections
Winner Takes All. December 2017
Theme: Red
Judged by Margaret Mounsdon
Winner: Pamela Payne: Red Alert!!!
The John Walter Salver Competition 2017: Short story.
Theme: The weather
Judged by Janet Gover
Winner: Beryl Fleming: World in a Carrier Bag
Second: Patrick Forsyth: Who’d be a Writer?
Third: Julie Ratcliffe: A Chill in the Air
Writing for Children 2017.
Unthemed
Judged by Ann Evans
Winner: Marilyn Pemberton: Target Practice
Second: Beryl Fleming: The Nativity Play
Third: Benita Cullingford: Hen Friends
Highly Commended: Patrick Forsyth: Twice Upon a Time
The Elizabeth Longford Rose Bowl for Poetry 2017.
Unthemed
Judged by Doris Corti
Winner: Finola Holiday: Trees in Winter
Second: Mary Rothwell: Whale Island
Third: Finola Holiday: The Accident
Highly Commended: Sylvia Goodman: Mourning Glory
The John Walter Salver Competition 2016. Travel article
Judged by Solange Hando
Winner: Beryl Fleming: White Silence
Second: Mary Rensten: Dividing Doors
Third: Mari Nicholson: After Katerina, New Orleans is Jazzin’ again
Winner Takes All: ‘Take Six Words’ Competition. December 2016
Judging panel chaired by Edwina McPherson, assisted by Kay Seeley and Rob Nisbet
Winner: Margaret Mounsdon: Weeping Willow
William Shakespeare Themed Crossword competition 2016.
-
Winner: Roberta Grieve
Winner Takes All: ‘Opening Lines’ Competition. March 2016
Winner: Beryl Fleming: A Handful of Petals
The Elizabeth Longford Rose Bowl for Poetry 2016. Theme: Love
Judged by Cathy Galvin
Winner: Finola Holiday: Lines Written on the Eve of a Departure for Siberia
Highly Commended: Doris Corti: Strange Delight
Highly Commended: Patricia Francis: Ablutionary Call
The John Walter Salver Competition 2015: Short story. Theme: The Present
Winner: Caroline Auckland: Patterns
Second: Jane Lockyer-Willis: Undelivered
Third: Margaret Mounsdon: Flowers for the Teacher
Highly Commended: Valerie Dunmore: The Present…?
The Elizabeth Longford Rose Bowl for Poetry 2015. Unthemed
Winner: Valerie Tigwell: Rare Visit to Dad in Belfast
Second: Valerie Dunmore: The Passion of the Dance
Third: Margaret Gallop: Hell manned
Commended: Margaret Gallop: Voice of a Yorkshire Ghost
Commended: Mary Rothwell: Rhyader
Commended: Dorothy Pope: Denial
Winner Takes All Competition Spring 2023
Theme: Butterfly
Judged by: Lynne Hackles
Winner: Kay Seeley ‘The Chrysalis’
Also shortlisted: Adrienne Vaughan and Beryl Fleming
The Elizabeth Longford Rose Bowl for Poetry 2023
Theme: Growth
Judged by: Cheryl Moskowitch
Winner: Claire Dyer: The Surgeon Wife
Second: Dee La Vardera: The Madiba Shirt
Third: Val Dunmore: Teenage Son
John Walter Salver Competition 2022
Theme: Landmark, Non-fiction
Judged by: Simon Whaley
Winner: Pamela Payne: The Berlin Wall
Second: Ann Mary Stanton: My Hidden Landmark in South West France
Third: Mari Wallace: A Lesson in American History
Winner Takes All - Spring 2022
Theme: Opening Line: “He/She opened the oven door …”
Judged by: Caroline James
Winner: Beryl P Brown: “Piece of Cake”
Also shortlisted: Kay Seeley and Jill Rutherford
Platinum Jubilee Competition 2022
Theme: The Life & Reign of H.M. Queen Elizabeth II
Judged by: Lady Sandra Howard
Winner: Jenny Worstall: ‘Reflections on a Performance of God Save the Queen, St. Paul’s Cathedral, April 2022
The Elizabeth Longford Rose Bowl for Poetry 2022
Theme: Calm
Judged by: Cecilia Knapp
Winner: Claire Dyer: Raw Material
Second: Margaret Gallop: Your grandad’s lighting a fire
Third: Dorothy Pope: Washing My Doll’s Dress
John Walter Salver Competition 2021
Theme: Christmas short story
Judged by: Kirsty Bunting
Winner: Natalie Kleinman : If You Wish Really Hard
Second: Helen Balkwill: A Christmas in Time
Third: Patrick Forsyth : Ding Dong Grumpily on High
Winner Takes All - Autumn 2021
Theme: Bags
Judged by: Rhoda Baxter
Winner: Janet Howson : Bags of Room
Also shortlisted: Dorothy Pope and Patrick forsyth
Winner Takes All - Spring 2021
Theme: Music
Judged by: Jenny Worstall
Winner: Kay Seeley Title: God’s Orchestra
Also shortlisted: Beatrice Holloway and Wendy Pike
The Elizabeth Longford Rose Bowl for Poetry 2021
Unthemed
Judged by: Jacqueline Saphra
Winner: Dorothy Pope: Lockdown
Second: Marilyn Pemberton: I would have known
Third: Margaret Gallop: Chill January on the Embankment Path
Grand Prize Draw ‘Book Bundle’ competition 2020
For introducing a new member to the SWWJ
Winner: Marilyn Pemberton
John Walter Salver Competition 2020
Theme: Women, Non-fiction
Judged by: Jonathan Ungoed-Thomas
Winner: Sue Moules: A moment in the 1960s
Second: Mari Wallace: Gram
Third: Benita Cullingford: Female Masters
Winner Takes All 2020
Theme: There’s no business like show business
Judged by: Lynne Shelby
Winner: Jenny Worstall
Title: The Show Must Go On
The Elizabeth Longford Rose Bowl for Poetry 2020
Theme: Food
Judged by:Kate Potts
Winner:: Valerie Tigwell: Man in a black coat
Second:: Dorothy Pope: Sugar Starved
Third:: Vivien Brown : Banquets
The Floella Benjamin Trophy Competition 2019
A ‘paperless’ competition, open to all.
Theme: Children are our future.
Judged by: Baroness Benjamin of Beckenham, OBE,DL (Floella Benjamin)
Winner: Helen Bartlett (writing as Ella Cook): A Monologue From a Child in Care – Boxes and Labels
Shortlist: Meg Gardner, Marilyn Pemberton, Susan Wickham, Lynette Creswell, Jill Wilkinson, Denise Telford, Rob Nisbet, Laura Blake, Margaret Gallop, Rebekah Heaney, Celia Anderson.
Winner Takes All 2019
Theme: A closing door
Judged by: Pamela Payne
Winner: Beryl P Brown
Title: Life at Sea
John Walter Salver Competition 2019
Short story. Theme: A surprise ending
Judged by: Clare Cooper
Winner: Sylvia Kent: Consequences
Second: Patrick Forsyth: Branching Out
Third: Beryl Fleming: The Orchid
The Anniversary 2019
Judged by: Literary agent, Rebecca Ritchie
Winner: Beryl Fleming: The Letter That Was Never Posted
Second: Marilyn Pemberton: No Reminder Needed
Third: Roberta Grieve: Gran’s Special Day
The Elizabeth Longford Rose Bowl for Poetry 2019 Unthemed
Judged by MIRIAM NASH
Winner: Finola Holiday: Living Alone
Second: Dorothy Pope: How Old
Third: Claire Dyer: Poem in which you marry Marilyn Monroe instead of me
John Walter Salver Competition 2018: Article
Theme: Something you don’t know about me
Judged by: Elaine Everest
Winner: Sylvia Kent:
My Secret Weapon Plus a Little Espionage
Second: Pamela Payne:
Up, Up and Away in Her Flying Machine
Third: Beryl Fleming:
The Artful Dodger
The Elizabeth Longford Rose Bowl for Poetry 2018
Theme: Water
Judged by Claire Dyer
Winner: Valerie Tigwell:
Philippa at the Outdoor Pool
Second: Valerie Dunmore: Perseids
Third: Finola Holiday: Reflections
Winner Takes All. December 2017
Theme: Red
Judged by Margaret Mounsdon
Winner: Pamela Payne: Red Alert!!!
The John Walter Salver Competition 2017: Short story.
Theme: The weather
Judged by Janet Gover
Winner: Beryl Fleming: World in a Carrier Bag
Second: Patrick Forsyth: Who’d be a Writer?
Third: Julie Ratcliffe: A Chill in the Air
Writing for Children 2017.
Unthemed
Judged by Ann Evans
Winner: Marilyn Pemberton: Target Practice
Second: Beryl Fleming: The Nativity Play
Third: Benita Cullingford: Hen Friends
Highly Commended: Patrick Forsyth: Twice Upon a Time
The Elizabeth Longford Rose Bowl for Poetry 2017.
Unthemed
Judged by Doris Corti
Winner: Finola Holiday: Trees in Winter
Second: Mary Rothwell: Whale Island
Third: Finola Holiday: The Accident
Highly Commended: Sylvia Goodman: Mourning Glory
The John Walter Salver Competition 2016. Travel article
Judged by Solange Hando
Winner: Beryl Fleming: White Silence
Second: Mary Rensten: Dividing Doors
Third: Mari Nicholson: After Katerina, New Orleans is Jazzin’ again
Winner Takes All: ‘Take Six Words’ Competition. December 2016
Judging panel chaired by Edwina McPherson, assisted by Kay Seeley and Rob Nisbet
Winner: Margaret Mounsdon: Weeping Willow
William Shakespeare Themed Crossword competition 2016.
-
Winner: Roberta Grieve
Winner Takes All: ‘Opening Lines’ Competition. March 2016
Winner: Beryl Fleming: A Handful of Petals
The Elizabeth Longford Rose Bowl for Poetry 2016. Theme: Love
Judged by Cathy Galvin
Winner: Finola Holiday: Lines Written on the Eve of a Departure for Siberia
Highly Commended: Doris Corti: Strange Delight
Highly Commended: Patricia Francis: Ablutionary Call
The John Walter Salver Competition 2015: Short story. Theme: The Present
Winner: Caroline Auckland: Patterns
Second: Jane Lockyer-Willis: Undelivered
Third: Margaret Mounsdon: Flowers for the Teacher
Highly Commended: Valerie Dunmore: The Present…?
The Elizabeth Longford Rose Bowl for Poetry 2015. Unthemed
Winner: Valerie Tigwell: Rare Visit to Dad in Belfast
Second: Valerie Dunmore: The Passion of the Dance
Third: Margaret Gallop: Hell manned
Commended: Margaret Gallop: Voice of a Yorkshire Ghost
Commended: Mary Rothwell: Rhyader
Commended: Dorothy Pope: Denial
Past competitions: winners, judges and trophies
(Click below to start scroll – may take a while to load images first time)
John Walter Salver winner 2022 Pamela Payne with Floella Benjamin
Pamela Payne, winner of the John Walter Salver 2022
Claire Dyer receiving the 2022 Elizabeth Longford rose bowl from Floella Benjamin
The Elizabeth Longford Rose Bowl for Poetry
Our trophies on display at Chawton House, Hampshire
The John Walter Silver Salver trophy
Viv Brown accepts the John Walter Salver2021 from Floella Benjamin on behalf of winner Natalie Kleinman
Dorothy Pope receiving the 2021 Poetry Rose Bowl trophy from competitions organiser Viv Brown
Valerie Tigwell, winner of the Poetry trophy 2020, with organiser Viv Brown
Finola Holiday receiving the Poetry trophy from Judge Doris Corti - Spring 2017
Judge Cathy Galvin presents the poetry trophy 2016 to Joyce Elsden on behalf of Finola Holiday
Caroline Aukland - Winner of the John Walter Salver 2015 with judge Wendy Clarke
Rules
SWWJ COMPETITION RULES from 2025.
These rules have been updated to accommodate recent changes to our submission processes.
Please read them carefully. Failure to comply could lead to your entry being invalidated.
- SWWJ competitions are open to Professional, Associate and New Writer members only. Unless specifically stated, Friends, Honorary members and non-members are not eligible to enter.
- Please ensure that any maximum word count or number of lines set for the competition is strictly adhered to. Shortlisted entrants may be asked to supply an electronic copy of any entry originally submitted by post so these details can be verified before prizes are awarded.
- Your membership number (NOT your name or any other identifying information) should be clearly marked on your entry. This ensures that all entries are anonymous when they are sent to the judge.
- When submitting on paper, please type or print on one side of plain white A4 paper only, and number the pages. For both paper and emailed entries, please use a clear font, ideally Times New Roman, 12pt or similar. No handwritten entries please.
- Please use double spacing for all prose entries. Poems may be spaced as the poet requires.
- Every postal entry must have a detachable cover sheet showing the title, your name, membership number, address, and email address and/or phone number so we can contact you. For emailed entries, please include this information in the body of your email or in a separate attachment.
- When posting, take note of the envelope size and weight so the correct postage is paid. The Society will not pay any fees due or arrange collection of undelivered items when postage has been underpaid. Submit emailed entries as a word .doc or .docx attachment, not as a PDF file please.
- The appropriate entry fee must be paid before the closing date. Payment methods will be as advertised for each competition. Cheques are accepted, but bank transfers are preferred.
- Entries received after the closing date may be disregarded with no return of fee.
- If you would like to receive a copy of the judge’s report, please enclose a self-addressed envelope of suitable size and bearing the correct postage. Alternatively, reports can be requested by email.
- Entries MUST not be previously published (including online) or have been read or performed in any public domain. They should not have won or be currently entered into any other competition.
- Please do not send your entry by recorded/special delivery or registered post. Enclose a stamped self-addressed postcard if you wish us to acknowledge safe receipt of a postal entry.
- Keep a copy of your work as the Society cannot be held responsible for the loss of your entry, in the post or otherwise. Manuscripts will not be returned after judging.
- Cash and other prizes vary per competition and will be as advertised.
- In the event of a large number of entries, or if the judge requests it, the Society reserves the right to appoint a shortlisting panel.
- Winners retain copyright but winning entries may be published in full, or in part, in The Journal. Please keep any advertised prize-giving date free in your diary and book a ticket to attend if possible.