Swindon is a hotbed of poetry! I actually live 130 miles from there, but this year I’ve been drawn into its orbit and am very pleased to be a member of BlueGate Poets. Founded in 2008 by the extraordinary and indefatigable writer and arts event organiser Hilda Sheehan, BlueGate Poets hosts events, readings, workshops and open mics, and its membership has grown to fifty or so, from aspiring writers to published and award-winning.
It’s lovely to have a couple of my poems in BlueGate Poets latest online anthology (check out also a previous anthology, Separate Ways, poems written on the Swindon Art Collection – some lovely gems there.)
Hilda’s first poetry collection The Night My Sister Went to Hollywood was published recently by Cultured Llama and she’ll be reading from it at the Free Verse: Poetry Book Fair in London this weekend. I’ll be there making tea or something, so hoping to catch with Hilda and other poet friends – let me know if you’re going too!
That is great Robin. I have been slightly involved with them through meeting Michael Scott and although I live much closer to Swindon than you, I haven’t actually got there yet, for any events. Feeling guilty. They seem to be a fount of poetic wonderfulness.
Hi Meg, thanks for commenting – and you’re right about the poetic wonderfulness – but don’t feel guilty! We can’t all get to everything, that’s for sure 🙂
You are spot on with your comments, Robin. Hilda and the Swindon group are fabulous… very welcoming, encouraging and supportive. I love my Swindon poetry adventures. Hope to see you there soon. Kathy x