Liz Lochhead, Scotland’s makar – or national poet - is to judge this year’s Elmet poetry prize. The theme is Connections, the deadline 15 July, and prizes are: 1st  £300, 2nd £100, runners up £50, plus the Huddersfield University Yorkshire prize of £100. The competition is staged by the Elmet Trust, a charitable company whose purpose is to promote and celebrate the life and works of Ted Hughes, Mytholmroyd’s famous son and late poet laureate, with exhibitions, festivals and walks in Mytholmroyd, West Yorkshire. Also up for grabs is the Ted Hughes Young Poets' award, same theme, same deadline, which will be judged by former children’s laureate Anne Fine, for age groups 6-10, 11-14, and 15-18.