Sian Hughes and Elizabeth Speller from the Warwick Writing Programme at the University of Warwick have both been shortlisted in this year’s Forward Prize for Poetry.

Sian, who is currently studying for an MA in Writing, has been shortlisted for the Best First Collection prize for her work ‘The Missing’.

Royal Literary Fund Fellow to the Warwick Writing Programme Elizabeth Speller has been shortlisted for Best Individual Poem with her entry ‘Finistere’.

The Forward Prize is one of the UK’s most important poetry prizes and aims to extend the audience for contemporary poetry.

Director of the Warwick Writing Programme Professor David Morley said: “Sian Hughes and Elizabeth Speller share the shortlist with some world-famous names in contemporary poetry. They fully deserve to be in such company.”

The winners will be announced at Somerset House in London on 7 October.

Notes to editors
For more information, please contact Kelly Parkes-Harrison, k.e.parkes@warwick.ac.uk, 02476 574255, 07824 540863