Absolutely amazed to have been selected for this year’s Cholmondeley Awards. I had to keep this a secret for two months, which was a little challenging to say the very least. We only found out at the Awards ceremony at Southwark Cathedral, who the other winners were. It turned out to be Fiona Benson, Gerry Cambridge, Julia Copus, Leontia Flynn, Roger Robinson – all of whom I admire and respect. This is me with the excellent Kate Mosse. I still can’t quite believe it . . .

‘Helen Ivory, a highly individualistic poet and visual artist, conjures a world that is both magical and sharply real. As in freshly conceived fairy tales, everything is transmutable. She expresses the intrinsic strangenesses of life, and makes a brilliant contribution to female empowerment through poems that are disturbing, agile, and visually telling.’ – Moniza Alvi, Cholmondeley Award co-judge

Thank you so much to all of the judges: Hannah Lowe, Malika Booker, Lachlan Mackinnon and of course, Moniza Alvi.