Cofio Nigel Jenkins: The fifth Gwobr Lenyddol / Literary Award

Nation.Cymru Staff

The annual Nigel Jenkins Literary Prize was recently awarded to a student whose achievement in the Swansea University Creative Writing MA programme was of the highest order.

The winner, Cori Smith-Pimlott, received a unique piece of sculptural glass made by Rodney Bender, IGP Ltd, generously sponsored by Ali Anwar, from the H’mm Foundation and presented by Dr Alan Bilton, Director of Creative Writing at Swansea University.

The evening’s proceedings were compered by Alan Bilton, and featured speakers, poetry readings, tributes and folk music.

Tabernacle chapel in Mumbles was the venue for the by-now annual event which was well attended by students and staff from Swansea University, Nigel’s family and friends as well as members of the local community, including hosts Cover to Cover bookshop.

The book ‘COLT’ by CJ Wagstaff, winner of the Nigel Jenkins Literary Prize in 2024, was also launched during the event where CJ was in conversation with Jon Gower.

Alan Bilton said: “Creative Writing at Swansea University is honoured and delighted to work with Ali Anwar and the Hmm Foundation on the annual Nigel Jenkins Prize, a wonderful tribute to the much loved and much missed poet and co-founder of the department.

“Nigel’s creative legacy continues to inspire and guide Creative Writing at Swansea, and we are extremely grateful to Ali and the Foundation for sponsoring and running this important prize, recognising the achievements of our wonderfully talented and imaginative MA students.

“This year the prize ceremony celebrated the publication of Colt, the first poetry collection by the 2024 Nigel Jenkins Prize winner CJ Wagstaff, an intimate, lyrical, painfully honest, and at times painfully funny debut from an important poet with a terrific career in front of them.

“The winner of the 2025 Prize was Cori Smith-Pimlott, whose meticulously crafted prose combines a satirical awareness of the absurdities and ironies of contemporary life, with a disturbing and disorientating taste for the uncanny and the unsettling.

“Cori’s first collection of short stories will be published by the Hmm Foundation, and it is hoped that the collection will be launched at next year’s ceremony.”

Cori Smith-Pimlott said: “I’m absolutely thrilled and honoured to receive the Nigel Jenkins Award for 2025 from the H’mm Foundation.

“His legacy is palpable, from discovering friends from my local pub with meaningful connections to him, to a friend recalling reading a dog-eared Practical Dreams before bed as a young teenager. It was a wonderful event, and lovely to get to know him through his loved ones.

“I started my MA in 2023 Part-time after 13 years of working, not seeing an MA as something I could realistically do straight after my BA at Aberystwyth but continuing to write where I could whether it be music reviews, or eulogies!

“During lockdown, I took some creative writing classes with Cardiff University which reignited my passion for fiction and short story writing.

“Receiving this award has really been a confirmation that I made the right decision to continue my studies and I couldn’t be more grateful to the MA programme at Swansea University, my MA peers (including the wonderful CJ Wagstaff!), the cultural institute, and Alan Bilton, who supervised my MA and has always been so encouraging of my weird fiction! I can’t wait to see what’s next for me.”

CJ Wagstaff said: “It felt really special to launch my first poetry pamphlet in Mumbles. This little book represents three years of my practice, so to hold it in my hands, to see my words in print, to release them, is amazing.

“I’m grateful to everyone who came to celebrate with me, and or course to honour the legacy of one of Swansea’s finest writers, Nigel Jenkins. Above all, I’m so glad I got to share the evening with Cori, who is not only a fabulous writer and a storyteller, but a friend. I can’t wait to see what she does next!” 

During the evening Angharad Jenkins, Nigel’s daughter, performed a new piece with singer-songwriter and alumni of the Creative Writing at Swansea Rachel Taylor-Beales.

The two had recently been involved with a project called Metamorphosis through the Awen Cultural Trust, where they had been creatively exploring changes in the female body throughout different stages of life.

During the sessions, Angharad and Rachel, along with storyteller Tamar Williams, wrote a song called ‘Life is a River’, which was performed on the evening, with Rachel on guitar and vocals, and Angharad on violin and violin. Before the song,

Angharad read one of her father’s poems, ‘Rendezvous’, tying in with the theme of metamorphosis.

Tim Batcup said: “We at the Cover to Cover Bookshop were delighted to have the opportunity to hosting this event celebrating the life and work of this very special friend, the great poet Nigel Jenkins.”

Ali Anwar said: “We are proud to organise this annual event in association with the Swansea University and Cover to Cover Bookshop. We hope that it becomes another source of inspiration to the new generation.”

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