Category Archives: Children and Youth

Children and Youth, Services, St George's Church, worship

Bubble Church

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Bubble Church is beginning in January.

If you’re scratching your head and saying ‘What?’ then read on.

Rev’d Lexi Russell writes:
“I’ve had lots of people ask me, what is Bubble Church? Well, here you go: ‘Bubble Church is a Sunday church service especially for babies, toddlers, and young families. It’s a puppet-packed, Jesus-centred, coffee-and-food-fuelled, 30-minute kids’ and families’ adventure.’

“I am so excited we are going to be launching our very own Bubble Church here in the parish. It’s starting at 9.30am on January 11th at St George’s running every second and fourth Sunday of the month.

“We cannot wait to welcome some new families to church, to share God’s love and explore what it means to be a follower of Jesus together.

“Please tell as many people as you can about Bubble Church. Everyone is
welcome to come along and see what it’s all about. Feel free to contact me with any questions: rev.lexi@badshotleaandhale.org.”

Children and Youth, Farnham Literary Festival, poetry

The Winners! Farnham Poetry Competition 2025

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For the fourth year in a row, the parish has had the privilege and pleasure of putting on the Farnham Poetry Competition as part of the Farnham Literary Festival, and the results were announced at an awards ceremony and open mic on Saturday, March 15th, at St Mark’s Church.

Poets as young as five and into their 90s took part, showing extraordinary creativity and talent as they tackled the subject of unity, something that is sorely lacking in the 21st century world, but which is surely an attribute of the one God, source of creativity, unity and love.

Poets Coral Rumble and Linda Daruvala were the judges of the 16s and under and over-16s categories respectively and had a tough job deciding on the winners. However, decisions had to be made and the results are below. Click on the links to read the poems.

Over-16s winners

Highly commended:

One good foot – Richard Lister
Shared Disbelief – Lucie Rhoades
Rainbow – Cosmo Goldsmith
ONE – Chandra McGowan 
Forty years on –   Liz Kendall
Sword Dance, Woodland Stage – Liz Kendall
The twenty first century is not a friend of unity – Chris Hunter
THREE YEARS ON – Kate Young

Third prize:
New Atlantis – Liam Smith

Second prize:
‘direction of travel’ – Kate Kennington Steer 

First prize:
Of Touch – Richard Lister 

16 and under winners

12-16s

Highly commended:

Unity Poem – George Lovelock
Together – Jessica Jones

Third prize:
Timeless Duality – Emily Peters

Second prize:
Stars – Andrea Domingo

First prize:
But they still forget – Evie Goode

8-11s

Highly commended

Unity – Najia Eshaal Ali
Unity – Eesha Haque
When – Peggy Wingham

Third prize:
Me and You – Imogen Clark

Second prize:
What It Means to be Together – Alice Colombini de Mello and Penny Lockyer

First prize:
Family Brings Us Together – Max Heath

Under 7s

Joint first prize:
Family – Dolcie Della Jennings
Unity “Means Humanity First” – Naqasha Nawal Ali –

Children and Youth, Events, poetry, St Mark's Church

Farnham Poetry Competition Awards Evening and Open Mic

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St Mark’s.
Saturday, March 15th.
5pm.


The parish runs the Farnham Poetry Competition on behalf of the Farnham Literary Festival. The entries are now all in and the winners will be announced at the awards evening and open mic on Saturday, March 15th, at St Mark’s Church, starting at 5pm. Coral Rumble and Linda Daruvala, the two judges will present prizes and also read from their own works.


The 16s-and-under awards will be presented first, and young people will have a chance to share their poetry if they wish. Then there will be an interval so that if any of the families need to go home, they can. The over-16s awards will be presented after the interval, and there will be an open mic.


All welcome to attend, to hear the poetry and to join in the open mic.

Children and Youth, Events, Farnham Literary Festival, poetry, St Mark's Church

The Farnham Poetry Competition is back!

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Calling all poets – beginners, experts and those who dabble from time to time. Get writing because the Farnham Poetry Competition is back again.

The competition, now in its fifth year (we started with a lockdown poetry competition in 2020), is run by the parish as part of the Farnham Literary Festival which takes place from March 6-16.

The 2025 poetry competition has the theme of Unity/Being Together and entrants are asked to write a poem about what unites people or what they wish would unite people, or what it means to be together.

There are four age categories this year: up to age seven, eights to 11s, 12s to16s, and over 16s. Poems should be sent to poetry@badshotleaandhale.org or to St Mark’s Church and Community Centre, Alma Lane, Farnham, GU9 0LT to arrive by 5pm on Monday, February 24. Please include your name separately from your entry and, if entering the 16 and younger categories, add your age to the bottom of your poem.

The children’s poetry competition is being judged by popular children’s poet and author Coral Rumble and the adult one by poet Linda Daruvala.

The competition is free to enter and there will be prizes for the first prize-winners and runners-up in all the categories. The winners will be announced at the poetry final evening on Saturday, March 15, at St Mark’s Church, Upper Hale, at 5pm, when there will also be an open mic for anyone to share their poetry, and the two judges will also perform their work.

Entries should include name, contact details and age if entering the 16 and under categories, but the name should not be written on the actual poem. There will be winners and runners-up in all categories and these will be announced at the awards ceremony and open mic on March 15.

The judges: Linda (left) and Coral.