|
Joy was founder member of Heritage Poets in Flamborough, which celebrated its twentieth year in 2004, set up a writers’ group in Cheshire and has conducted group and schools workshops in this and in other areas. She has given readings in pubs, libraries and cafes and has been broadcast on Radio Humberside, GMR Radio and Silk FM.
Joy is currently Writer in Residence at HMP/YOI Styal and works with the women there in creative writing workshops to help them to express their feelings, to increase their self-esteem and to have fun with writing. There are many projects underway at Styal including Storybook Mums, a prison magazine, readers and writers groups (both prisoners and staff), and an anthology of poems.
Her poetry has been published in various magazines and anthologies and she won the NAWG (National Association of Writers Groups) Free Verse Competition in 1997 and Heritage Poets Competition and was runner up in NAWG Free Verse Competition 2000, New Writers Competition and Words of Silk Open Poetry Competition. Joy has had two collections of poetry published, ‘Morag’s Garden’ and ‘Built to Last’.
In 2003 Joy was ‘Big Read-er in Residence for Cheshire Libraries’ and helped several of the libraries to facilitate reader discussions and competitions in conjunction with the BBC Big Read.
Joy has been set the following core commissions during the course of her 12 month laureateship:
If you wish to invite Joy to an event, facilitate a workshop or to commission her, please contact Anne Sherman. |