Sheaf Poetry Festival

There’s an amazing programme of events on this week for Sheaf Poetry Festival in Sheffield and online (21-28 May 2023). The programme is jam-packed with inspiring events – get your in-person or online pass now! I’ve been working with some amazing young writers on the Hive Online Fiction Programme over the last few weeks, and …

Writing into Spring

The sap is rising! I’ve been incredibly busy lately with my insect poems, workshops and readings. I’ve been working with some brilliant projects and organisations and wanted to celebrate some of them here. It was a joy to join the LeedsLit Fest Spring Rhythm event last week at the University of Leeds Poetry Centre, with …

Mothering in Neonatal Intensive Care: Exhibition Launch

Last year I was lucky enough to work with Sushila Chowdhry (University of Dundee), Maya Chowdhry and Jessica Howarth on an incredible project facilitating creative workshops with mothers of preterm babies who have experienced neonatal units. The project drew on creative methods to listen to women in holistic ways, focussing on the embodied experience of …

Insects & miniature works

It’s an honour to be travelling to Uppsala University at the end of October to explore possibilities around short works, biodiversity and climate change. I’ll be taking part in a range of workshops and meetings, including a day-long day gathering with a school called HOME in Östervåla, hosted Anna Björkman and Dougald Hine. The following …

Your Mind Matters

It’s been brilliant working with young people from Forces Children Scotland to explore the unique challenges they face in relation to their wellbeing and mental health. Earlier in the year, we ran a residential weekend of creative workshops to co-produce materials for the Your Mind Matters website. The young people also produced a stunning group …

Let’s Talk About Cough

It’s exciting to be working with other artists, researchers and facilitators on the Let’s Talk About Cough story exchange. It’s an online creative project, which will bring together people who’ve lived with cough, carers and researchers to share stories and knowledge in friendly, informal sessions. For some people coughs can become long-term and researchers in …

Poetry Film: Water Birth

It’s been wonderful working with the Adrian Brinkerhoff Poetry Foundation and Poet in the City on a new film of my poem, “Water Birth.” The poem is about the babies born in the Mediterranean Sea, many of them in treacherous conditions or on rescue boats. The film is out now, directed Matthew Thompson: This poem …

Hive Fiction Workshops

If you’re a new or emerging fiction writer aged 17-30 based in the North of England, there’s still time to apply for the subsidised 6-week Hive Online Fiction Programme I’m running with Hive South Yorkshire, starting on Thursday 10th February! The sessions will be weekly on Zoom (Thursdays, 6-8pm) and it will be super friendly …

Poetry Film: From Blossoms

It was such an honour to make a film of one of my favourite poems with the Adrian Brinkerhoff Foundation, directed by Matthew Thompson and produced with Poet in the City. Li-Young Lee‘s “From Blossoms” explores joy and loss, darkness and light, sugar and dust. It is one of those enviable poems that powerfully connects …