NATIONAL Poet Laureate, Simon Armitage, has made Ellesmere Port Library the final stop on his 2023 leg of his ten-year Laureate’s Library Tour.

He will be appearing at the free live poetry event on Thursday, March 23 from 7pm to 8pm along with national Canal Laureate Roy McFarlane and two young poets from the town’s Boaty Theatre Company and newly refurbished Theatre Porto.

Simon became the 21st Poet Laureate in 2019 but has also been the recipient of numerous honors and awards.

The 59-year-old from Huddersfield was named the Millennium Poet in 1999, a Fellow of the Royal Society for Literature in 2004, and a Commander of the British Empire in 2010 and in 2014 he was awarded the Cholmondeley Award.

Cheshire West and Chester Council Leader and Cabinet Member for Wellbeing, Councillor Louise Gittins said: "Every spring during this decade, Simon Armitage gives readings across the UK, from the flagship libraries of the big cities to smaller libraries serving rural and remote communities.  

"Using the alphabet as a compass, his journey celebrates the library as one of the great and necessary institutions. Ellesmere Port is part of this year’s ‘E to G Libraries’.

"We’re honoured he is coming to Ellesmere Port as part of this year’s tour."

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The event is free but booking as early as possible is advised. Please book online via Cheshire West and Chester Council Libraries event tickets from TicketSource.

Poetry can contain strong language so this event is advised as most suitable for those 11+.

Two local poets, Patrick Gambles (Theatre Porto) and Mia Kellett (The Boaty Theatre Company), have been selected to read one of their poems each for the event.

The E to G Libraries Tour is supported by the T. S. Eliot Foundation and Mark Pigott KBE. It is also supported by Simon’s long-time publishers Faber & Faber.