Pushing the boat out to create ... 
Poetry in Motion
As a narrow-boat dweller, Cheshire’s fifth Poet Laureate is already creating positive ripples.
Jo Bell is joining forces with her four predecessors, floating a new initiative to bring poetry to more people, of all ages and tastes, across the county.
The plan is to launch a debut ‘Bunch of Fives’ tour of poetry readings in five Cheshire venues with first-ever Cheshire Laureate Harry Owen - and successors John Lindley, Joy Winkler and Andrew Rudd.
“It’s early days yet so we’ve yet to finalise the format - but we’re talking of threading a theme of the five senses through it all.”
“We’re focusing on bringing interesting presentations of the spoken word to local communities.”
In the meantime, industrial archaeologist Jo is wasting no time in sharing her love of poetry with a wider Cheshire audience.
Becoming the county’s ambassador for poetry is, she says, a major spur - giving her the confidence to nurture her own body of work with its undercurrents of landscapes and relationships.
‘By its very nature, writing poetry is private - and personal. You don’t really know how you’re doing. I’m often asked how I got started. All I can say is I’ve never really stopped. Then four years ago I realised that for me it was not just a hobby but something much more important.’
Her busy programme since winning the title this year is testimony to her commitment to the role, first created by Cheshire County Council - with Arts Council support - five years ago.
She’s just rounded off her first commission at the invitation of County Council Chairman Neville Price to mark a Chester Cathedral celebration of parish and town councils and also hosted a ‘Sense and Sensuality’ evening of poetry at Knutsford Library to celebrate its fifth year.
And while juggling a new and prestigious role as co-ordinator of National Poetry Day – to be held this year on October 4 - she is going global with a ‘Waterways’ poetry competition open to all.
On June 16 she’s appearing at the Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival, one of many stops on her 97–mile circular tour of canals in Cheshire which will fuel her inspiration.
‘Yes, canals are a precious part of our fabulous industrial heritage - but I choose to make my home on them so that I can live more simply, at a slower pace and get closer to nature.
For more details visit our Readers and Writers web pages or contact Arts Service Literature Development Officer Anne Sherman 01244 602898.
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