The Richard Flint awards were invented through a very generous legacy left to the Fellowship by Richard Flint. It was his hope that the money would be used to encourage survivors of polio to embrace there artistic flare and allow it to flourish. Every year since we have run competitions in three categories (Art Photography and Poetry) for polio survivors. Each category has a 1st place prize of £250, 2nd place prize of £150 and a third place prize of £75. 

PLEASE NOTE ENTRY FOR 2023 IS NOW CLOSED

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Please send entries via email to:

 

matthew@britishpolio.org.uk

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or by post to

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The British Polio Fellowship 

CP House

Otterspool Way

Watford

WD25 8HR

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Full details of the competition can be found here

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The winners for 2023 are as follows...

 

Art 

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1st Place, Robert Taylor

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2nd Place, Brian Short

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3rd Place, Limi Jones

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Photography

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1st Place, Robert Barlow

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2nd Place, Violet Roe

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3rd Place, Paul Oulton

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Poetry

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1st Place, Josephine Dargan, Summer

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The summer has deserted us

Or so it seems to me

The raining is teeming down on us

Making me miserable as can be

The Continent is slowly roasting

With wild fires everywhere

While in England we're just freezing

With coats on in a deckchair

While we don't want to roast alive

When the gulf stream moves back up

But some warmth would be appreciated

Enough to heat us up

The autumn winds which make the trees

Think it's time to shed there leaves

But really we should shout aloud

It's summer and we want rid of the clouds

PLEASE!!!!!!

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2nd Place, John Oakes, Modern Life

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The wonders of the modern world are here for all to see

Such things as mobile phones and on-demand TV

Large parts of life are now online and very much remote

From the GP surgery to the way we shop and bank and vote

For many, life's conducted via a keyboard and a screen

But it lacks our human contact with the joy that's always been

In shops, self service tills may seek to help us much

However, staff and shoppers now miss the personal touch

Many people walk the street and in their phone confide

Thus sadly miss the joyous sights that Nature can provide

With modern technology we live at breakneck pace

Try switching off and slowing down, connecting face to face.

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3rd Place, Vivienne Vale, Yellow Rose

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Years ago a gift was given to me;

A yellow rose bush for an anniversary.

In my garden I planted it for all to see

For it held great sentiment for me.

It only flowered for two seasons or three

Even though I tended it religiously.

It looked so sad as the years went by And eventually I felt that it had died.

So I reluctantly removed it from the ground

As no signs of life was there to be found.

Sadly I placed it on the compost heap

And prayed that my rose would rest in peace.

No sleep did befall me that very night

As I felt I had robbed it of its life.

So, early next morning, come the light of dawn, I retrieved the rose bush which looked so forlorn.

Stripped of its foliage, its roots exposed, I carefully held my dear little rose.

Then, in my garden, a new location I found And gently laid it in the ground.

But it looked so stark.

...no signs of life,

It's naked branches stretched up to the light.

I monitored and prayed for it every day

In the hope that it would find its way.

It took some time but new growth could be seen

And shoots appeared where none had been, And to my delight I can honestly say It has flourished ever since that day.

From my kitchen window it is in full view

For this dear little rose has a life anew.

I feel it is thanking me in a strange sort of way

For endeavouring to save its life that day.

I cannot believe the wonders I see,

It's recovery seems like 'a miracle' to me.

Hence the power of prayer and its fight to survive

I know that it is glad to be alive.

Thus my dear yellow rose will always be

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