The Harold Smart Memorial Competition has been established to encourage the composition of simple anthems, with or without organ for performance within the context of a church service and designed for choirs of fairly modest attainment. Performance should not exceed five minutes, texts may be taken from any source but must be in English, accompaniment (where required) should not be technically demanding and the work as a whole should reflect contemporary musical styles.

In response to first announcement of the Competition in 1988, seventy entries were received and the Adjudicators' clear choice for the winner in 1989 was Ronald Watson's Confirm the hope thy word allows