Poet-Trees display makes a comeback in Belper

More than 100 pieces of work from contributors as young as five years old will be displayed from Monday, June 28, following the return of Poet-Trees.

Beaurepaire Gardens will host a display particularly with children in mind, including a poetry project from Potteries School and other verses for the young at heart! Among other poems at this location will be a collection of eight verses inspired by, and featuring, images taken by renowned Derbyshire photographer Ashley Franklin.

There will be be a special Poet-Tree Trail within the route, consisting of 21 of the poems which have been individually etched onto wooden panels and each containing a code word. Visitors are invited to follow the route and compile their code word list, to enter a free prize draw. The names of three winners will be drawn by MP Pauline Latham MP, on Saturday, July 17 at 11am in the town’s Cafe 24.

The two-week display runs until Monday, July 12 and last entries for the draw is July 13 at 6pm. Look out for the green Poet-tree post boxes in the Ada Belfield Library and also in the 1924 shopping arcade, or enter online at www.belperfringe.org.

Following the event, the poems will be delivered to their final destinations as donated displays to Osmaston Grange care home and Holbrook Hall residential home, to further extend the delights of the Poet-Trees.

Contributions to the Poet-Trees project were first displayed on two avenues of trees in St Peter’s churchyard in April.

Carol Brewer, a published poet who organised the initiative, said at the time: "The creative community of Belper never fail to respond positively, it’s been lovely to see so much interest. All the poems have been read by me. A lot made me smile or think and that’s always good.”

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