What is the Worcestershire Poet Laureate?
The Worcestershire Poet Laureate is an ambassador for poetry across the county, celebrating the people, places, history and communities that make Worcestershire unique. Each year, the Laureate works with schools, charities, festivals, community groups and local organisations to bring poetry into everyday life.
As Worcestershire Poet Laureate for 2026–2027, my aim is simple: to make poetry feel welcoming, relevant and accessible, celebrating the extraordinary lives that unfold in ordinary places and creating opportunities for more people to speak, write and feel heard.
My Laureateship
People probably imagine a Poet Laureate spends a year writing. I think I will spend much of my year listening. Listening in libraries and coffee shops, in village halls and classrooms, at festivals and fetes and gatherings. I enjoy listening to stories that are often dismissed as ordinary until someone takes some time to notice them. That is the Laureateship I hope to leave behind.
There are three key things I want this year to be about
Connection
Poetry begins with people. My Laureateship is about creating moments of connection through performances, conversations and shared experiences, reminding us that we are never as alone as we sometimes feel.
Community
Every town, village and neighbourhood has stories worth celebrating. By working with schools, charities, businesses, festivals and community groups across Worcestershire, I hope to help more people discover that poetry belongs to everyone.
Voice
Everyone has a story worth telling. Whether they have written for years or never shared a single line, my aim is to create welcoming opportunities for people to write, speak, listen and feel heard.
Worcestershire in Words and Voices
I hope this year becomes a collection of conversations. The child who writes their first poem and discovers their own voice. The volunteer who doesn’t realise they are part of the county’s story until someone writes it down. The café owner, the bus driver, the teacher, the carer, the teenager, the retiree, all finding themselves somewhere inside a poem they never expected to belong to them. Because, for me, a Poet Laureate doesn’t simply write about a place, a Poet Laureate listens to it first.
What can a Poet Laureate do for your organisation?
A Poet Laureate can help bring people together through creativity, conversation and shared experience. Whether you’re planning a community celebration, conference, exhibition, anniversary, festival or staff event, poetry can offer something memorable and deeply personal.
I enjoy working with organisations of all sizes to create bespoke performances, workshops and collaborative projects that celebrate the people behind the work. Sometimes that’s writing a commissioned poem. Sometimes it’s helping others find their own words. Often, it’s both.
Current Projects
I am developing a number of longer-term projects that celebrate our fabulous county and the people who call it home.
These include Laureate in the Wild, my reflections from across the county, My Year as Laureate, a living record of this remarkable year, and community projects that invite people of all ages to share their memories, experiences and voices through poetry.
This page will continue to grow throughout the year as new collaborations, events and opportunities unfold.
Invite the Poet Laureate
Whether you are organising a festival, school visit, workshop, community celebration, conference or special event, I would love to hear from you.
I am available for readings, performances, workshops, commissioned poetry, talks, interviews and collaborative community projects across Worcestershire and beyond. Every invitation is different, and I am always happy to discuss ideas to create something that feels meaningful for your audience.
If you would like to start a conversation, please get in touch.