Sally Richards

Readings and Commissions

Readings

After several years, I can now say that I enjoy reading my poetry. I do sometimes get nervous before events; it has taken me a while to overcome this along with the rather strange sensation of people watching me. I like to chat a little in between readings, when relative, and interact with the audience. I’m not a performance poet but I do get positive, and much appreciated, feedback that I ‘bring the poems alive’. I think I do perform my poetry to a certain degree, but this is natural for me. It may have something to do with my love of drama at school, spoken English training at college, and my participation in a local amateur dramatics group …many moons ago. I was often called upon to play a ‘young girl’ for various and diverse productions; including one production performed in The Music Hall, Shrewsbury for a competition.

Over the last three to four years I have read my poetry in various settings including:

Powney’s book shop, Shrewsbury, 2005 – reading & book signing

Charity events in the Shrewsbury area including - The Gateway Arts & Education Centre, 2007, alongside poets Steve Mann and Nigel Humphreys.

M.E. group in the Telford area 2007

The Poetry Café, Covent Garden, London, November 2007 – for the launch of my Poetry collection: Stained Glass

The Old Market Hall Digital media centre, café bar, for the local launch of Stained Glass - 2008, alongside poets: Alan Morrison, Steve Mann and Leon Brown

The Square, Shrewsbury, October 2008 - for World Mental Health day,

Shrewsbury library for National Poetry day/month – readings and signings 2007, & readings 2008, and also at the launch of my recent poetry book: Through the Silent Grove, December 2009

Guest speaker for Local W.I and Friendship groups – in Annscroft, 2008, & Montford 2009

June 6th – Guest speaker for Montford W.I.

As part of my new role as a Poetry Champion for Shrewsbury County library services, Shrewsbury area, I will have various roles during the year that will involve both writing and reading poetry.
Rawden Parslow (Shrops Council Library Services: Stock and Reader Development Librarian) was very supportive of the new Poetry Champion Role. Rawden was integral to the initial discussions and central to my being appointed as the first Poetry Champion (along with Sheena Batey, Librarian, Shrewsbury Library) having been part of the panel at a meeting where the role was discussed and confirmed. My first commissioned poem- Darwin's Lost World: Galapagos was unveiled at The Lost World event on the 14th of May 2009 in the historic library building, the music library. The event was attended by the BBC presenter Nick Owen.

Rowley House Museum, 26th August 2009 – Poetry & New Media Event: With New Media artist Andy Mckeown. My role as a poetry champion was to work with visitors/ members of the public who wanted to use the technology to create poetry as a living piece of artwork: projected onto the wall of the museum. The event included afternoon poetry readings from myself and poets Steve Mann, Nigel Humphrey’s, and Adrian Perks.

15th July 2010 - Visit to Carewrite. Carewrite is a writing group for Carer’s held in the Gateway, Shrewsbury. I was invited by course leader, David Bingham, to join in with one of the sessions, listen to some poetry, and also read some of my work to the group. It was a very enjoyable morning. The group subsequently produced an anthology of their work from 2010: ‘A Door Wide Open’, and I was delighted to be invited, by Dave, to write the foreword; I was a carer for myself for a few years, I know how demanding, as well as rewarding, it can be.

October 2010 – Shrewsbury library Reading event. ‘An evening of poetry with local poets: Sally Richards, Steve Mann, Adrian Perks, Ivan and Sheena Batey.’ with guest poet Nigel Humphreys’. The event was organised as part of my role as PC, and to provide a reading opportunity for the talented members of my poetry group. The evening was well supportive, and produced positive feedback. The mix of styles and subject matter proved a winning combination. Some poetry books were sold at the end of the evening.

Commissions

As part of my residency with Country & Border life magazine I was commissioned to write numerous poems, which appeared in the monthly editions.

My first commissioned poem for the role - Darwin's Lost World: Galapagos was unveiled at The Lost World event, on the 14th May 2009, in the historic library building (the music library). During the busy morning, hosted by Sheena Batey and Caroline Buckley (librarians), I gave two interviews to BBC Radio Shropshire, and really enjoyed meeting and chatting to members of the audience, including a local poet. I read my poem, at the end of the event, to the specially invited audience, which included popular TV presenter Nick Owen from the BBC Midlands Today programe. Nick was the special guest and gave a really enjoyable talk about his connections with Shrewsbury, and work with the BBC. I really enjoyed meeting him and having a brief chat about poetry and Shropshire.
Andy Mckeown – artist and newmedia programmer – was also involved with the event and used his effects to bring the words of The Lost World to life – he projected my poem onto the inside wall, using different coloured fonts and sizes, which constantly changed as they moved through the lines of the poem. It was really great if slightly surreal to see my work presented in such a different and unique way. I hope to collaborate with Andy again in the future, including a workshop in Shrewsbury museum on August 26th 2009. The aim of the day is to promote poetry in unique, diverse, and fun ways that can be accessed by members of the public.

My Darwin poem was accepted for The Darwin exhibition, 2009, in Shrewsbury Museum – by Adrian Perks, Museum assistant (and poet) who is coordinating the events (including the August workshop). My poem Dandelion was exhibited for the museum writing exhibition

This poem was commissioned by Syliva Stanton of Montford parish for Montford Church Flower Festival 22nd - 25th May 2009, to commemorate the Darwin Bicentenary: Montford Parish - a floral celebration