Poetic Place: How Poetry thrives in Havering

Q: What’s your connection to both poetry and Havering?

I went to primary school in Upminster, secondary school in Dagenham, and sixth form college in Grays. Spending time across all of these spaces in East London has given me a deep connection to the area. Romford was the centre of our nights out for a long time, and there are so many stories held in Havering. It’s a place layered with memory.

My connection to poetry began much earlier. I’ve always loved reading. As a child, I’d sneak a torch under the covers when I was meant to be asleep, just to finish a few more pages. I started writing poetry as a teenager. It became a private way to express thoughts and feelings I didn’t feel able to share with the people around me. I kept them carefully written in a pink notebook.

When it came time to choose a career, I decided to go into Journalism. It felt like a practical way to work with words and stories. But poetry has always remained the place I return to when I want to understand myself more deeply, and now it’s also the way I connect with others in Havering.

Q: How do you guide people into finding their poetic voice? What’s your approach to structuring these spaces so they feel accessible and empowering?

There’s no single way to guide someone towards their poetic voice. I usually begin with a simple reminder: everyone has a story. And if this is your story, it’s very likely there are people out there who will recognise themselves in it. Sharing your voice might reach someone who needs to hear it.

Many people say they don’t have an interesting story. That’s often the first hurdle. So we start by discussing existing work. What do you enjoy reading? What doesn’t resonate? What makes you lean in, and what makes you zone out? That conversation helps people trust their own taste and instincts. From there, they begin to shape what they might try in their own writing.

I always offer choice in how people write. Some are drawn to structure and enjoy working within a form, such as an acrostic or a sonnet. Others prefer to write freely and let the pen move without constraint. That sense of choice is central to why the space feels accessible. There isn’t one “right” way to be a poet.

Accessibility also extends beyond the writing itself. We think carefully about the venues we book, the layout of tables, the lighting, even where leaflets are placed. I aim to facilitate the space in a trauma-informed way. When you invite people to write honestly, grief, rage and hopelessness can surface. In those moments, I acknowledge the experience and make sure the person feels heard. Then I gently guide the group forward using breathing exercises, grounding techniques or Emotional Freedom Technique tapping.

There’s something deeply empowering about allowing people to attempt something that feels vulnerable, like writing a poem and performing it to strangers. They begin to realise they can do difficult things. They can sit with complex emotions, in themselves and in others, and remain steady.

We also know accessibility is an ongoing process. As we meet new audiences, we continue learning what people need and adapting accordingly.

Q: Looking ahead beyond this phase of the project, what legacy or ripple effects do you hope Poetic Place leaves in Havering?

The project is called Poetic Place because we believe poetry already exists in Havering. Our aim is to create the conditions for it to surface.

Through our events, we’ve met people of all ages and backgrounds who are already expressing their lives through poetry. I hope the legacy of Poetic Place is that these writers continue to gather, to write, and to feel inspired long after this phase of the project ends.

I would love to see a wave of poetry collections, powerful performance pieces, and even award-winning work emerging from Havering in the coming years. If this project helps people recognise themselves as poets, and claim space for their voices, that would feel like a lasting and meaningful ripple effect.

Our final celebration, as part of A Good Life Day is taking place on Saturday 21 March at the Hope Cafe, from 4.30 – 7pm (booking from 3 – 8pm) For this finale, we will be revealing chosen poems from the project so far and we will have performances from musicians and professional poets. Come and join us.