Poetry Day at the Wheatsheaf Library

Book of poetry

National Poetry Day on 7 October was celebrated in the Wheatsheaf Library, where poets young and old were able to step up to the microphone and share their favourite poem

Poet Suki Mitchell invited people to read their favourite poems in the Gallery area of the Wheatsheaf Centre, Rochdale; 'Food' was the theme of National Poetry Day this year.

Rochdale writing group 'The Wheatsheaf Word Weavers' read poems on their theme of 'Food', all written by members of the group. Norma Tweddle a poet from Littleborough, entertained listeners with her poetry with “A Local Flavour.”

Five primary schools took part, St Peter's CE, St Patrick's RC, Hamer Primary, Spotland Primary and Heybrook Primary Schools. The rap group 'The S.Q.U.A.D.' took the children's poetry turned them into a rap, much to the children’s amusement.

The event was open to all and was a great success, attracting 168 children, and more than 100 shoppers stopped to listen and many more were handed poems to read by library staff.

Shoppers, teachers and children were all entertained, poetry was celebrated and library staff raised awareness of the services Rochdale libraries have to offer the general public.