Stamford is welcoming a new Poet Laureate for the town, with Caroline Avnit accepting the honour after a public contest to choose the winner.

Jasper Cairns was named Stamford Youth Laureate at the event at Stamford Arts Centre, which attracted a record crowd, showing the importance of the local poetry scene.

Stamford Laureate Caroline has been a poet since childhood, and will now embark on a range of performances, commissions and civic events during her year in office.

She said: “I feel so grateful to have been chosen as the Poet Laureate of Stamford.

“I absolutely love our beautiful town and am passionate about promoting it. I feel it is a privilege to continue the work that has been done by previous Poet Laureates, in putting Stamford on the map as a poetry destination, along with encouraging both the writing and appreciation of poetry in our town.

“I especially look forward to collaborating with local businesses and involving the community in more activities connected to poetry.”

Caroline has a background in psychology and religious studies, and has always been interested in writing about relationships, nature, the beauty found in the simplest moments of human connection and our relationship to the world around us. 

The finalists took part in a live reading before a panel of judges as part of the annual Verse Festival, and the Laureate runner-up on the night was Emmy Jenkins.

New Youth Laureate Jasper Cairns said: “I’m very excited to be Stamford’s new Youth Poet Laureate and am eager to start writing as soon as possible! I think poetry is important now more than ever, so I can’t wait to share what I can offer with Stamford’s poetry scene.”

Both Caroline and Jasper will work closely with Stamford Arts Centre and Stamford Town Hall to support the popular local poetry scene.

If you would like to book the Stamford Poet Laureate, please email Karen Burrows - karen.burrows@southkesteven.gov.uk