The LitFest and Fringe team are nursing aches, pains, and smiling faces after a busy but wonderful festival week. Last Friday night saw us split between the Greek classicism of Natalie Haynes at The Hive and the Big Fat Quiz taking place at Titania, while Saturday morning calmed things down slightly with our children’s workshop at the wonderful St John’s library.

Things wouldn’t stay quiet for long, though! Saturday night, at Worcester Arts Workshop, LitFest and friends opened their arms to some top class London talent. We had an intimate evening of poetry and performance from Robert Cole, Math Jones, and Keleigh Wolf. A fabulous evening was had by all in attendance and we left on a grand high ready for the TWO slams that we had pencilled in for the following day.

Sunday evening saw us head back to Drummonds where we kicked the evening’s events off with a…

June 20th is World Refugee Day an international observance dedicated to raising awareness of the situation of refugees throughout the world.

Stock Photo  © David Snyder

As Worcestershire Poet Laureate I invite you to write poems about the refugee crisis or indeed experience. Selected poems will be published here  https://worcestershirepoetlaureateninalewis.wordpress.com/

Send your submissions to worcspl[at]gmail[dot]com by 9pm (GMT) on Tuesday 20th June.

Include a short bio (50 words), in addition, let us know where you live.

Please send poems in body of email or as attached Word doc.

Max. of 3 poems

Previously published work will be considered, you must retain the rights and include full acknowledgement of the publication.

If you are unlikely to submit work please sign a petition http://www.unhcr.org/refugeeday/us/

To help (if you need it) I have gathered these websites and images on the webpages could be used as initial stimuli.

http://www.un.org/en/events/refugeeday/

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/06/20/world-refugee-day-which-images-make-you-stop-and-think/

http://www.unhcr.org/refugeeday/

https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/un/world-refugee-day