Previous Winners
Mother Tongue Other Tongue
Download Anthologies
The Mother Tongue Other Tongue North West competition has published the work of hundreds of young people since it was launched in 2012 as a North West pilot. We celebrate young people’s work in a variety of ways, through events, exhibitions and anthologies. Some examples of this, including the 2023, 22 and 21 anthologies can be seen below. Copies of these were presented to winning entrants at summer celebration events.
In May 2024, more than 2700 young people aged 8-18 engaged with the North West England Mother Tongue Other Tongue competition. Our team of 12 student judges read 250 pieces, sent in by 38 schools in more than 50 languages, including what we hope will be the first of many British Sign Language entries. 87 selected pieces of work were compiled into a digital anthology and the work is also on display in the Manchester Poetry Library. Winning students received copies of their work as postcards – presented to them by Carol Ann Duffy and Malika Booker at two joyful celebration events that took place in July 2024.
