News

After spending the last five years writing myself into a new lease of existence I  am thrilled  to release this collection on 28 November 2024. 

The e-book is available to pre-order now, and the paperback will be available on 28.11.24

I was guest editor of the November 2024 edition of Worktown Words. 

My poems from the BBC Contains Strong language festival were partnered with sound designers in the BBC Sounds First talent development scheme were recently broadcast by BBC Radio 3. 

My second collaboration with Emma Evans is now on display at Kimpton Clocktower. 

I am so thrilled with the painting Emmas has created in response to my poem 'The case against nostalgia' and all her other incredible pieces inspired by 5 other extremely talented Mancunian poets.  

In 2024 I was lucky to feature  at:

- Word Central , Central Library Manchester

- Mind over Matter Slam, Band on the Wall

- Course you can Malcolm, 

- Crooked Poets, Prestwich

- Tales of Manchester 2.0

- Natter

- Wal Goch Festival, Wrexham

- Ballin' Out by the Poetry Place at Factory International

- Sisterhood Festival, Bradford

I was thrilled to be one of 8 finalists in the BBC Words First scheme and the opportunity of performing as part of the BBC Contains Strong Language festival  is one I will remember for a long time. 

I was lucky to benefit from masterclasses from the amazing teams at Young Identity and Apples and Snakes as part of this scheme. 

On 9th November was asked to support the amazing Rose Condo at her book launch in Manchester City Library at 6pm.

In 2023 I was lucky to perform  at:

20th January - Northern Poets Society 

3Oth January - co hosting Verbose

22nd February - Express Yourself, Bask 

8th March - Salford Arts Theatre , Blue Balloon Theatre Co

9th March - Nook Open Door

17th Mark - Haigh Hall Tap Bar

27th March - co-hosting Verbose

28th  March - Shapeshifter at Fierce Bar

29th March - Mancunia TV

16th April - Switchblade Society

24th April 

Co-hosting Verbose at the Kings Arms, Salford

1 May - Sheffield Meadowhall, Reverend and the Makers Pop up shop
5th May - Corto Bar Clitheroe

21st May - Still Got it Showcase, Fierce Bar

22nd May - Co-hosting Verbose, Kings Arms

18 June - Still Got it Showcase and Ed Fringe preview at Fierce Bar Manchester

7 July - Blether

9 July - Morecambe Fringe

15 July - Llangollen Fringe

31 July - co-hosting Verbose, Lions Den Manchester

11-13 August - Edinburgh Fringe

22 August - Wandering Palate, Monton

2 September - Mic at the Mill Festival

9 September - Green Island Festival

18 September - co-host Verbose

30th October - co-host Verbose at Kings Arms Salford

9th November - supporting Rose Condo  at her book launch at Manchester Central Library

16th November - Supermarket Streets exhibition launch at Carlton Club

22nd November - Lisa & Lou's poetry show, Grub & Friends First Street

25th November - Storyhouse Chester Literature Festival Open Mic

On Thursday 16th November I took part in an amazing spoken word line up supporting the launch of art exhibition by Emma Evans and Chris Massey at The Carlton Club, Whalley Range.  Tickets are free and available NOW!

I had a fabulous time as part of the spoken word line up at the Green Island Festival on Saturday 9 September.

The Mic at the Mill team asked Verbose to their festival on 2 September and I was able to bring a part of my show,, 'Do You Remember the First Rhyme?'. The event was a lot of fun and meeting so many people who run amazingly creative stalls at the mill was a joy.

I was lucky to be able to bring a night of poetry to the beautiful Wandering Palette in Monton in late August. 

I did a set of poems I don't usually perform together with a few from my Edinburgh Fringe Show.

After spending decades coming to the Edinburgh Fringe and thinking 'I wish I could do that!', I fulfilled that wish with my show 'Do you remember the first rhyme?'. A show about the love, loss and re-discovery of creativity. 

I am delighted that 'Do You Remember the First Rhyme?' was shortlisted in the  Best Spoken Word Show category of the Saboteur Award. 

Verbose, the spoken word night I co-host was also shortlisted as were two anthologies featuring my poetry ( Ey Up and Hope is a Group Project. )

I never dreamed of being included in these lists when I started out sharing my work and I am genuinely so grateful to anyone who chose to nominate my show. 

Listen to a lovely interview with the ReDraft team ahead of my Edinburgh Fringe Debut!

I am a cover girl of the first ever By the Meter Magazine -  grab yours by getting in touch with the By the Meter team!

On 15 July I had a wonderful time performing at the Llangollen Fringe. To perform in such a beautiful  town that is a beacon of creativity in North Wales meant so much to me.

As I get ready for Edinburgh I will be doing a few warm up previews alongside a number of other poets and storytellers who, like me, started sharing their work after a bit of living.  

I've called it the 'Still got it showcase' although none of us are sure what 'it' is. 

I was delighted to take part in a poetry roundtable with two of my favourite poets, Loll Perkins and Lou Machen, on BBC Radio Manchester on 4 March 2023, talking about the poetry community and inspirations.

TALES OF MANCHESTER’

Art, Music, Spoken Word and local beer! All inspired by ‘Tales of Manchester’.

A new exhibition coming to the Carlton Club with an exciting opening night on the 20th October 7pm.

Emma Evans is creating art from the poetry written by me and other amazing poets from Manchester.
The exhibition is supported by the MancSpirit Charity, a Manchester based Charity that harnesses Creativity and the Arts to inspire positive mental wellbeing.

I am bringing back the show that started my creative second life at this year's Women in Comedy Festival - on 9 October 2022.

A sunny day amongst creatives, artists, authors, poets, rappers, comedians, actors - the first C-Arts festival was an incredible day to be part of, curated  by Northern Poets Society, Switchblade Society and Natter.

A poetry workshop and a show performance at Altrincham Arts Festival;'s Wild Gathering was a huge success. 

I was part of an epic line up for packed raucous night of poetry in Blackpool recently. By the Metre is a hot ticket in the North West - get to the next one they are incredible fun.

Under glorious and hot skies I was privileged to run some poetry workshops for wellbeing at the wonderful Zennor Haven field at Boardmasters 2022.

I was thrilled to be part of the first HERstory event at YaB in Wrexham in June - a new event for women created by Evrah Rose. It was such a warm and relaxed evening.

In mid July I was delighted to have two poems played on BBC Radio Manchester's Upload show with David Scott.  I got to speak about a poem that I wrote after sharing poetry event opportunities with another poet who is now absolutely thriving in the Manchester poetry scene.

A new gently humorous spoken word show, reflecting on how I loved performance as a child and re-discovered it in my 40s with a bang.

10 July at Gullivers NQ as part of GM Fringe and 27 August at the Museum of Comedy. 

I had the pleasure of hosting Bevs n' Bards at Haigh Hall in Wigan recently, an event organised by Bent Key Publishing. 

Next up - I am  co-headlining a new spoken word and poetry evening 'Speaking in Tongues' on 12 May 2022

I have created a social media platform called 'Community Poetry Officer' where I share opportunities for poets to have their work published, perform poetry and get their work heard/shared. 

I was thrilled to be asked to run a workshop with Victoria CP School in Wrexham where children were writing poems about the town in support of the 2025 City of Culture bid.  

The day was inspirational and the love for the town was palpable in every one of their words.

The Altrincham Arts Festival launched with a bang on 19th March and I was lucky enough to be part of an amazing line up of poets on their launch event,

The immensely supportive Blue Balloon Theatre company recently asked me to write in their newsletter. Their motto is 'make it happen' so I wrote about that.

I was delighted to run a poetry workshop on the theme of connection in collaboration with Comma Press and Oldham Libraries.

I ran a wonderfully received workshop fro CIPD Manchester in September 2021 - take a look at their blog for more details.

Thanks to BBC Upload two poems were recently played on BBC Radio Manchester followed by an interview with David Scott and Vicky Hawkesworth.  One was my positive poem and the other was Laptop Love. Both can be found in the reels of my instagram page.

 I am so excited to be invited to headline at Verbose's return to real life at the amazing Kings Arms, Salford 

In collaboration with Whats the Sketch theatre co I curated and performed at a poetry show in the woods at Into the Wild coffee shack in August, featuring some of Manchester's best poets such as Antony Szmierek, Rebecca Kenny, Louis Glazzard, Will Stevenson , Amy Harris, Lisa Simpson, Mark Forster and Rebecca Phythian. (Photo credit Karen Herman Wright)

A poem I wrote in response to the outpouring of women's stories online following the devastating murder of Sarah Everard was included in UN Women's first ever virtual gallery. 'A Safe Space' is a collection of art, photography, poetry music and stories imagining and demanding safer spaces for women. 

A highlight of summer 2021 was hosting workshops for Water Aid at Worthy Pastures (aka the home of Glastonbury Festival)

I was honoured to be the lead writer for the Visual Verse June edition which was curated by Master House Publishing. Visual Verse has been a wonderful part of my poetry journey. Each month they ask for poetic/prose responses to artwork and curate a beautiful collection of poems. I am lucky to have had a few of my poems selected in the past, so to be a lead writer was a huge privilege. 

My first in real life open mic since the pandemic was at  'A Lovely Word' on 1 July 2021 in Liverpool and it really was lovely.

On Sunday 13 June I made it to the semi-finals in Belfast Book Festival's Poetry Slam, which was held online. It was such an incredible evening, fizzing with talent and a joy to be part of. 

On 1 June 2021 I headlined Testify Poetry. Testify is one of the first open mics I ever attended in real life in 2019 and they became part of my lockdown routine on zoom in 2020/2021. It was an absolute privilege to headline with this wonderful community of poets and poetry lovers. An evening in lockdown I will never forget!

I am delighted to be the first poet in residence of the Be Braver collective, an inspirational collective who inspire me daily.

 I recently joined the team at the Poetry Global Network as an occasional UK correspondent of The Poetry Times, a weekly YouTube/Facebook broadcast about the global poetry scene. 

See Episode 4 for an interview with me about my debut poetry collection.

I was delighted to have my poem Lockdown Life is a Rollercoaster of Emotions featured on the Cheshire East Libraries Facebook page to celebrate National Poetry Day 2020.