Poet Laureate Simon Armitage will share his homage to Peak District at Off the Shelf festival

Simon Armitage, the national Poet Laureate, will be sharing his composition to celebrate the Peak District National Park’s 70th anniversary at a literary festival in Sheffield.
By Gay Bolton
Published 11th Oct 2021, 05:30 BST
Simon Armitage will read his newly commissioned poem about the Peak District at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, on October 31, 2021.Simon Armitage will read his newly commissioned poem about the Peak District at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, on October 31, 2021.
Simon Armitage will read his newly commissioned poem about the Peak District at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, on October 31, 2021.

Master of verse Simon was commissioned to write the piece which he will perform at the Crucible Theatre on October 31, as part of the Off the Shelf Festival of Words. This event will also include a poem written to Kinder Scout by musician Lyndon Scarfe.

Other poets paying their dues to the Peak District in its milestone year are David Wilson and James Caruth who present their work at the Millennium Gallery on October 15. David’s poetry collection The Equilibrium celebrates climbing. James’ work Speechless at Inch is a hymn to nature, people and places including the Peak District.

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Joe Shute will give an illustrated talk in support of his book Forecast: A Diary of the Lost Seasons, in which he will show how the seasons are warping and look particularly at changes in the Peak District. This talk takes place at the Millennium Gallery on October 17.

Off the Shelf has a line-up of more than 80 live and online events.

Highlights of the 30th edition of the festival will include the Booker prize-winner Bernardine Evaristo to talk about her new book Manifesto at the Crucible Theatre on October 19.

BAFTA winning veteran of stage and screen Miriam Margolyes will unveil her much anticipated life story This Much is True at the Crucible Theatre on October 31

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Comedy legend Andy Hamilton will talk about his new novel Longhand at Firth Hall on October 23.

And former Home Secretary Lord David Blunkett explores his fascinating archive on Firth Hall on October 30.

The festival has brought back the successful Black Women Write Now strand introduced last year and curated once again by broadcaster and writer Desirée Reynolds.

Online presentations will include actor Samuel West interviewing Hermione Lee about her biography of Tom Stoppard, a double bill of young talented New York writers Mateo Askaripour and Jason Mott, and a podcast by award-winning playwright Chris Bush. The festival’s online presentations are free to view, donations welcome.

To see the full list of events and how to book, go to www.offtheshelf.org.uk

Related topics:Peak DistrictSheffield