Children across Cumbria are being urged to pen a short poem about hunger and what it means to them as part of a national competition.
The competition has been organised by the Trussell Trust, which supports a network of food banks across the UK.
The charity is calling on youngsters, aged nine and under, to create and draw a hungry character and tell its story in the form of a short poem – as part of its Bye Bye Hunger competition.
The top 20 entries will be published in a poetry book and one star prize winner will see their character brought to life in a Trussell Trust campaign to end the need for food banks.
The deadline for entries is Sunday May 30.
The Trussell Trust distributed 120,521 emergency food parcels for children facing crisis in the North West between April 2020 and March 2021.
The previous year when 100,135 parcels were given out for children across its food bank network.
The idea for the Bye Bye Hunger competition was inspired by a mother who sent a poem to the Trussell Trust earlier this year about how she was judged for needing a food bank to feed her child.
The Trussell Trust turned her poem into a short film, which has been backed by celebrities including musician Liam Payne, comedian Dawn French and Simon King from The Hairy Bikers.
The Bye Bye Hunger competition will aim to continue the conversation around poverty and hunger and will encourage young people to call for a hunger-free future.
A panel of celebrity judges – including comedian Dom Joly, actress Tamzin Outhwaite and Children’s Laureate Cressida Cowell – have been chosen to select the winning entries.
Dom Joly said: “The Bye Bye Hunger poetry competition is a brilliant opportunity for us adults to learn from the far wiser and brighter minds of kids aged nine and under.
“They see things we don’t and I’m really looking forward to seeing their creativity in action – and the hunger free future they draw for us.”
Find out more and enter at www.trusselltrust.org/poems
