Celebrating the UK’s key workers

Poetry for Good is the first national poetry competition to celebrate the UK’s many key workers and the hard work that they do, often unseen.

This website shares the Top 100 poems from the competition, including the winners.

This unique selection of beautiful and moving poems is a testament to the lives and work of the UK’s key workers. Many of these poems were written by key workers themselves, or inspired by family members, friends or neighbours who are key workers.

Whether it is teachers or nurses, cleaners or shopkeepers, carers or couriers – millions of people, often on low pay, keep our nation going. Always.

The competition ran in Spring 2021 and drew poems from across the UK. It was organised by Clean for Good – the ethical workspace cleaning company for London, dedicated to delivering fair pay and dignified work for cleaners. We hope you enjoy this poetry collection.