The Ashdown Forest Foundation annual poetry competition is launced with entrants asked to write on the theme of ‘Friendship,’ inspired by Winnie-the-Pooh and in celebration of the 100^th anniversary of A.A. Milne’s iconic character. Ashdown Forest was the setting for many of Milne’s classic Pooh stories and is home to the ‘Hundred Acre Wood’ and ‘Pooh Sticks Bridge.’

The competition, organised in partnership with the Royal Literary Fund (RLF), has added an additional category for 2026 with younger children now able to participate. The categories are Primary (6 -11 years), Secondary (11-17 years) and Adult (18+). The competition is free to enter via Ashdown Forest Poetry Competition with a closing date of Friday 8 May 2026.

Mark Pearson, Chief Executive Officer at Ashdown Forest says, ‘We are thrilled to partner again with the Royal Literary Fund and The Ashdown Forest Foundation on this third annual poetry competition, which this year focuses on friendship. We would like to welcome and thank the remarkable panel of judges who we expect will have a tough job selecting this year’s winners.’

This year’s judges include multi-award-winning children’s author, poet and former Children’s Laureate, Joseph Coelho OBE; Jane Riordan, author of the authorised Winnie-the-Pooh stories inspired by A.A. Milne’s classics; broadcaster Gyles Brandreth, life-long Winnie-the-Pooh fan and author of Somewhere, a Boy and a Bear: The Remarkable Life of A.A. Milne and the Legacy of Winnie the Pooh;  author, educator and Ashdown Forest Foundation Trustee, Kathryn Aalto, and Fiona Sampson, leading poet, literary biographer and RLF Trustee.

RLF Chief Executive, Edward Kemp says, ‘We are delighted to welcome Gyles Brandreth, Joseph Coelho and Jane Riordan, along with our trustee Fiona Sampson, as judges for this year’s Ashdown Poetry Competition, in partnership with the Royal Literary Fund. This year carries special significance as we celebrate the enduring legacy of A. A Milne. His extraordinary generosity continues to shape the lives of writers today: over the past fifty years, his estate alone has enabled the RLF to distribute more than £29 million in hardship grants, education and outreach programmes. That his work continues not only to shape our cultural landscape but to sustain writers in real, practical ways is something truly worth celebrating. We hope poets of all ages across the UK will join us in marking Winnie-the-Pooh’s centenary by sharing their own reflections on ‘Friendship’.’

The winners and runners-up for each category will be announced on Monday 8 June 2026, with the winners invited to meet the judges at a special event in Ashdown Forest on Tuesday 7 July 2026.