Programme for Schools
Swadlincote Festival of Words is delighted to be working with schools across the county. This year there are four ways that schools can be involved in the Swadlincote Festival of Words
1. World Poetry Day Exhibition
Using the theme of ‘Happiness’, schools are invited to submit a poem with an accompanying design from each year group to to be displayed throughout the town centre.
20 poems will be selected and enlarged to create a Pillar Display on Market Street with all other poems to be displayed in other public locations. The poems will be display from 17 March 2025 - 28 March 2025.
The poems can be of any type and should be tastefully decorated or designed. For reproduction purposes please submit all poems on a single sheet of A3 paper or card with a top margin of 1cm, 5cm bottom margin and side margins at 7cm to give a finished size of 15cm wide x 36cm high. The template is available, if needed.
If you need help with poetry writing, our resident published poet, Attie Lime, is available for school visits between now and 1 March 2025. Please note, Attie’s standard booking fees will apply. If you would like to book Attie, please contact her direct at attielime@outlook.com.
The deadline for submissions is Friday 14 February 2025
When your submissions are ready for collection, please get in touch by email to hello@swadlincotefestivalofwords.co.uk.
2. Visiting Poets & Authors
For the first time, Swadlincote Festival of Words is delighted to have a selection of poets and authors available for school visits. They include:
Attie Lime: Attie is a children’s poet whose debut solo collection is publishing with Otter-Barry Books in March 2025. She visits schools and festivals and leads writing workshops for adults and children in South Derbyshire. Attie has had poetry for children published by Pan Macmillan, Oxford University Press, and more. Attie is available to work with Nursery – Year 6. More about Attie is available at www.attielime.co.uk
. “A bright new star in the sky of children’s poetry” – The Poetry Zone.
Darren Simpson : Darren writes vivid, unruly fiction for older children and teens. His debut novel, Scavengers, was a Guardian Best Book of the Year, and was selected for the national Summer Reading Challenge. The Memory Thieves was an Observer Book of the Month and a World Book Day Summer Read. His latest book, Furthermoor, was Blackwell’s Children’s Book of the Month and a Waterstones Best Book of the Year. Darren is also a Literacy Champion for Read On Nottingham. Darren’s ideal age group is Upper Key Stage 2/Year 7 & 8. Visit Darren’s website for more information at https://darrensimpsonwrites.co.uk
Sophie Sparham :
Sophie is a poet and writer from Derby. They have written commissions for BBC Radio 4, The V&A and The People’s History Museum and co-hosts the night Word Wise which won Best Spoken Word Night at the 2019 Saboteur Awards. Their latest collection, The Man Who Ate 50,000 Weetabix, was published in April 2022 by Verve Poetry Press. Sophie’s work has been published in Orbis, Under the Radar and The Morning Star and their poem Sunrise Over Aldi won third place in the 2020 Charles Causley International Poetry Competition.
Rob Walton: Rob is a versatile writer for children and adults. His work has been published by Macmillan, Bloomsbury and Emma Press, among others. Rob usually writes poetry and short fiction, but has also written scripts, comedy, pantomimes, shows and even an educational pathway! Rob has shaped a unique and enticing collection of flash fiction that inspires both students and teachers alike. Rob’s new book is due in March 2025 so is sure to be snapped up in no time. You can read more about Rob at https://robwaltonwriter.co.uk
3. Swad's 'Reet Good' Art Exhibition & Trail
Schools in South Derbyshire are invited to take part in the 'Reet Good' Art Exhibition & Trail featuring words and phrases from the Swad dialect.
Organised in partnership with the Swadlincote Festival of Words and Derbyshire Makes, the exhibition and trail will run from Thursday 20 March 2025 to Sunday 27 April 2025 across various locations in Swadlincote Town Centre.
School groups are invited to submit works on paper in any style using any medium preferred. Painting, drawings, comic strips, caricature, cartoon, graffiti, photography,
paper cutting, decoupage and collage are all perfectly acceptable mediums.
Artists are encouraged to peruse the list of current Swad words and phrases and use their imagination to interpret them in a fun and imaginative way or any other 'Swad' words you can think of.
For more information and to register your interest please contact Hannah Wood, People Express by email, in the first instance, to hannah.wood@people-express.org.uk. People Express are the Derbyshire Makes representatives in Swadlincote.
4. Short Story Competition 'Happiness'
In collaboration with Holmes at Home English Tuition, children and young people up to the age of 16 across South Derbyshire are invited to submit a story based on the theme of ‘Happiness’. With a maximum of 500 words, the theme can be interpreted in any way with some ideas to include:
* A dramatic story with a happy conclusion
* Someone struggling to find happiness
* Just a lovely, happy story!
Entry to the writing competition closes Friday 28th February 2025 with prizes for the winners in each category. Entry is free. The age categories are:
* 7 and under,
* 8-11, and
* 12-16
Each submitted story must have a title with the author’s name and age category clearly visible. Entries should be sent direct to holmesenglishtuition@gmail.com. Further terms and conditions can be found on the Swadlincote Festival of Words Competition page.
This project is part-funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund #UKSPF
