Stonehenge (English Heritage) and Avebury (National Trust)
When: 11.06.2019 to 13.06.2019
Where: Stonehenge and Avebury
Places of Poetry kicks off its tour of England and Wales with a residency at Stonehenge and Avebury. It seems an appropriate starting point as Stonehenge's stone circle is arguably the most recognisable historic site in the UK. On Wednesday 12th and Thursday 13th June, poet Will Harris will be working with Oxford Spires Academy a school whose pupils, specifically a group of young female refugees, have been writing poetry under the guidance of teacher and writer Kate Clanchy. As demonstrated in the volume England: Poems from a School, these young poets have already achieved considerable successes, with one student winning The John Betjeman Prize in 2017. He will also be working with the Harbour Project, a drop in centre in Swindon for refugees, when he will be leading a workshop around Avebury henge.
There will be an opportunity too for you to meet Will and find out more about the Places of Poetry Project on Thursday 13th June at 7.30pm at The Red Lion pub, Avebury. Join us for an informal (free!) evening of poetry and conversation. Exeter University's Professor Andrew McRae will discuss the origins of the Places of Poetry project and Will Harris will read some of his poems and chat to Andrew about poetic inspiration and life as a poet. If there are any writers out there who have the urge to try out their poetry in public do feel free to bring it along and you can read it on the night.
A brief bio of Will. Will Harris is a London-based poet and critic and the author of the essay Mixed-Race Superman, published by Peninsula Press in the UK. He was a recipient of a Poetry Fellowship from the Arts Foundation in 2019 and his first full poetry collection, RENDANG, is forthcoming from Granta in 2020.
Photo of Avebury Chapel c NT Abby George
