Ledbury Poetry Festival Hosts: Poetry By Heart Recitation Competition, Herefordshire and Worcestershire Final
Saturday 27 February, 2pm – 4pm, The Burgage Hall in Ledbury
Audiences members report being inspired and moved by the performances of the young people.
Please join us and spread the word as students say their efforts feel valued when they see a venue is full.
Come and support our young people!
Entry is FREE! Refreshments provided. Please RSVP Chloe Garner on 01531634156 or director@poetry-festival.co.uk
MC: Brenda Read-Brown
Judges: Frances Bradley, Anne-Marie Dossett, Pippa Henry and Ruth Stacey
Ledbury Poetry Festival is excited to work with Poetry By Heart, a national competition designed to encourage pupils aged 14-18 and at school and college in England to learn and to recite poems by heart. Poetry By Heart successfully engages young people from diverse social backgrounds and all types of school in personal discovery of the pleasures of poetry. Each pupil is challenged to memorise and recite two poems – one published before 1914 and one in or after 1914 or one from a special collection of World War 1 poems as part of the centenary commemorations.. Pupils choose these from the timeline anthology of over 600 years of poetry.
Please do come and support these students who are challenging themselves to learn and recite poems by Shelley, Cavafy, Patrick Kavanagh, Robert Bridges, Jean Sprackland, Alun Lewis, Edith Sitwell.
The former Poet Laureate Andrew Motion plays a lead role in Poetry By Heart. He commented:
“Poetry By Heart has gone from strength to strength since its launch in 2013. Many thousands of students have not only learned great poems for life but they have also shared them with friends and families in the inspiring and moving performances that are at the heart of every competition. I am constantly surprised and delighted by the quality of the students’ achievements.”
“Taking a poem into your heart makes it part of you. Saying a poem aloud makes you part of its life in the world. This is a rich and nourishing relationship that can last a lifetime.” Jean Sprackland
Ruth Stacey 