WIRRAL Poetry Festival is back next month after a two-year break caused by the pandemic.

Taking place from October 7-9, the festival takes place over three sites in Port Sunlight and Bebington; The Bridge Inn, The Lady Lever Art Gallery, and Bear Hunt Books.

Many events are free including some activities for children.

It will feature a special reading by the distinguished poet, Philip Gross, who will also lead a poetry writing workshop.

Costa Prize-winning poet Hannah Lowe will share some of her humorous and tender poems inspired by her experience of teaching in an Inner-city London school.

There will be drop-in sessions in the Lady Lever Art Gallery and at Bear Hunt Books.

These will be open to anyone who is curious about poetry. We are especially pleased to have some sessions about dyslexia and poetry which have grown out of online events held during lockdown.

There will be open mics and even a slam where anyone can share a poem! On Sunday morning there will be a Village Poetry Walk with Port Sunlight’s own Jane Thomas who is the 2022 winner of the festival’s Wirral Poetry Prize. Poems “Inspired by Lady Lever” will contribute to this year's centenary celebration of the Lady Lever Art Gallery.

A spokesperson for the organisers said: "The Wirral Poetry Festival looks forward to greeting people from far and near over the festival weekend, including Stephanie JT Russell who was the overall winner of the Poetry Competition and will be journeying from her home in New York. This is truly a local festival with an international reach!"

For full details and to book: https://wirralpoetryfestival.org.uk/festival-calendar/

The Wirral Poetry Festival grew from the Festival of Firsts which was inaugurated in 2011 following an idea by John Gorman.

Inspired by John Gorman himself, poetry was always an important feature of the Festival of Firsts and under the guidance of Judy Ugonna it finally became its own standalone festival in 2019.

When the pandemic hit the following year, the poetry planning team quickly began delivering regular online poetry events that attracted people from all over the world.

Behind the closed doors imposed by covid restrictions, the Poetry Festival found an opening to wider audiences than it could ever have imagined. There is a continued commitment to produce online events and Poetry Picnics at interesting locations in Wirral and beyond.

Kemal Houghton became Chair of the Poetry Festival this year, which remains affiliated to the Festival of Firsts.

Wirral Poetry Festival Planning team 2022 features Kemal Houghton (Chair), Celia Gentles, Paul Harris, Ali Harwood, John Oldershaw, Judith Railton, Alison Schultz and Judy Ugonna.