I'm reading poems from my book What Are You After? (published 2018 by Nine Arches Press) and new poems, on Sunday, June 16th, 5-7pm in the cellar of The Vaults Alehouse. Here is a link to my event on the festival website. There will also be an opportunity to perform your poems at the open-mic. This … Continue reading Poetry Reading plus Open-Mic in Devizes, Sunday June 16
In November 2018, I was lucky enough to attend two days of training with the National Literacy Trust to update and improve my skills as a writing workshop facilitator in schools. The course was based in Victoria Park Primary School, an absolutely lovely school in Bristol, and facilitated by Fay and Tim from the National … Continue reading School for Writers with the National Literacy Trust
It's November and the weather is alternatively grey and grim or sunny and seriously cold, and the news is pretty dreadful these days, so I thought I'd cheer myself up by remembering a lovely bus journey I took on a beautiful day in October - when it was as warm as June. As part of … Continue reading Trowbridge to Avebury on the Number 49 Bus
Three years ago, I was lucky enough to be selected for the Aldeburgh Eight Advanced Poetry Seminar, organised by the now, very sadly, discontinued Poetry Trust. I had an amazing time as an Aldeburgh Eight Poet with a free festival pass - which, for me, felt like being a child allowed to run amok in … Continue reading My bags are packed for Poetry in Aldeburgh
A new poem of mine was commended in the Poetry Society's Stanza competition, a yearly event for people who are both members of the Poetry Society and a Stanza (poetry groups run voluntarily by Society members). As I've mentioned before, I organise the Trowbridge Stanza which meets on the first Saturday of every month at Drawing … Continue reading ‘To Bring Me Luck’ – new poem
I thought I'd write a quick blog about what I've been up to recently. I've been fairly busy since my book came out in late June, travelling around doing readings, organising Trowbridge Stanza, attending a few poetry readings, reading poems for And Other Poems, writing new poems, entering a few poetry competitions, researching and writing … Continue reading Mid-week catch up
I haven't written much about my everyday life recently so I thought I'd do an update. My once a week job in a school ended in July and very quickly after that I was awarded a small bursary to write new poems about the heritage, history and landscape of the area in and around Amesbury. … Continue reading Reading, writing, planning, etc.
I'm pleased to say that I've been awarded a Local Artists Bursary by Ginkgo Projects, funded by Bloor Homes for the Kings Gate Public Art Programme, which I am using to write some new poems in response to the landscape and heritage of the area in and around Amesbury, Wiltshire. I live in the west … Continue reading Local Artist Bursary from Ginkgo Projects / Bloor Homes
I'm very pleased to be featured on Lizzy Turner's 'a poem a week' podcast reading my poem 'History Lesson' from my new book What Are You After? You can hear me reading here. This poem was inspired by the many events staged to mark the centenary of the start of World War I and was … Continue reading a poem a week podcast
My poetry book is being published this year, did I mention that? (of course I'm joking - I know I've mentioned it here, here, and here - and possibly a few more places as well). I don't tend to think of myself as a last minute kind of person but I am still tinkering with … Continue reading One month until my book is published
