From the 20th to the 23rd February, Verve Poetry and Spoken Word Festival returned for its fourth year, at its new venue of the Birmingham Hippodrome. Since its inaugural year back in 2017, Verve has gone from strength to strength, outgrowing its first home at Waterstones, while continuing to host an engaging programme of talks, workshops and performances.
Continue reading “Goodbye Verve”Onto Something New…
Back in February, I had my last shift as a guide in Shakespeare’s Birthplace. I’d been in this position for over a year, and while it was a wonderful experience that taught me so much, I felt it was time to move onto something new. It was time to hang up the Tudor dress, and move into a role that would become the start of a career in creative programming and event coordination.
Continue reading “Onto Something New…”Shrewsbury Literature Festival
On Sunday 24 November, I travelled to Shrewsbury to read at the Literature Festival, where Offa’s Press were the showcased indie press. I read alongside two of my Offa’s stablemates: Kuli Kohli and Emma Purshouse.
Continue reading “Shrewsbury Literature Festival”The Poetry of Worcestershire
I am really pleased to have two poems included in the most recent anthology from Offa’s Press: The Poetry of Worcestershire. One is a poem from my pamphlet, Bella, also published by Offa’s, and the other is a previously unpublished piece.
Continue reading “The Poetry of Worcestershire”Overhear Walking Tour
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been working with the Overhear Poetry app and Ben Waddington from Still Walking Festival, to develop a walking tour which combines an exploration of the city centre with a live poetry experience. Part guided tour, part poetry reading, and part writing workshop, the event was premiered over this past weekend, with a trial run on Saturday 26 October, and the real event on Sunday 27 October.
Continue reading “Overhear Walking Tour”Award-winning ‘Bella’ film!
Over the past year, members of Sutton Coldfield Movie Makers have been putting together a short film about the Bella and the Wych Elm story, inspired by the poems in my pamphlet, Bella. The docu-drama, also titled ‘Bella’, was a project spearheaded by Ann and Arthur Fletcher (pictured above), who brought their film-making expertise, hard work, and dedication together to produce a beautifully crafted film.
Continue reading “Award-winning ‘Bella’ film!”National Poetry Day, 2019
For National Poetry Day this year, I was invited back to my alma mater, Windsor High School, to run some workshops and talk to pupils about the importance and joy of poetry. It is not often that I find myself doing something really special for this celebratory day, so it was really exciting to have the opportunity to teach and talk about poetry.
Continue reading “National Poetry Day, 2019”Overhear Commission!
A while ago now I was approached by Overhear Brum, and commissioned to write a poem as a part of their second season of hyper-local poetry. In the run up to Birmingham Literature Festival, Overhear are releasing 12 newly-commissioned pieces by local poets, focusing on 12 indie venues around the city. My poem, ‘The Beating Heart’, inspired by Yorks Cafe on Stephenson Street, is one of these new pieces.
Continue reading “Overhear Commission!”Black Country Day
Sunday 14th July was Black Country Day, and in the Himley Hall Grounds, the Musicom Festival celebrated the occasion with live music, comedy acts, fairground rides, creative demonstrations, and a pop-up poetry podium. Here, I was invited to read as one of the featured poets.
Continue reading “Black Country Day”Reading at Windsor High School
On Tuesday 2nd July, I returned to my alma mater of 2007 – 2012, Windsor High School, to read from Bella and talk a little about my journey to becoming a published writer.
Continue reading “Reading at Windsor High School”