The West Euston Time Bank

West Euston Time Bank Poetry Workshop

"IT STARTS WITH THE SOUL OF A POET"
Norah Platt

Norah Platt was the catalyst for the creation of  the first West Euston poetry group.  She began writing formally in 2000 at the age of 72. In spite of being in poor health and often house-bound, Norah produced an impressive body of work in a very short time.

Norah Platt ( photos courtesy of Third Age Project)

Her desire to write poetry was encouraged by Tony Bloor  (Third Age Project) and Tina DuBois (Third Age Out-Reach Worker) and her enthusiasm encouraged other poets (including Epi, Kathy and Islam) to meet to write and perform poetry for Third Age events at West Euston.

The Third Age Project sponsored a book launch of Norah Platt's Thoughts of an Optimist (edited by Tony Bloor and Tina DuBois)  on National Poetry Day October 2002.

With the support of the London Time Bank Network,  the new economics  foundation (nef) received a grant to administer a two-year London Time Bank Poetry project, launched on National Poetry Day, October 3d 2003.

Mr Islam Molla (TB poet) Kim Morrisey (TB Mentor) and Karen Lyons (London Time Banks Network Development Manager)

Nine time banks in London (Angell Town, Cares of Life, Time for Change, Deptford and New Cross, Rushey Green, Aylsebury Estate, Hoxton Sure Start, Mildmay and West Euston) participated in the first stage of the project, which ran between October 2003 and October 2004.

The time bank poets met in small, informal workshops and, where possible, the workshops were led by experienced poets.

Although West Euston did not have an experienced poet to lead the workshops at this stage, Tony Bloor helped facilitate the West Euston group. The co-ordinators for the project  were Maria Duha and Urmi Nurjahan.

Throughout the year, the poetry group (Norah, Epi, Kathy and Islam) gave a number of readings  to audiences of 10 - 25 within the West Euston Third Age Project (and at other civic events).

In 2003 and 2004, the West Euston Time Bank and Third Age Project hosted their own celebration of National Poetry Day, which they combined with a celebration of Black History Month.

The Day included  poems, traditional stories and art work of refugees from Somalia who make up a significant membership of the local community (and the West Euston time bank).

Children were encouraged to attend and take part in the celebration and the workshops.

MEDIA LINKS: Poems from the participating Time Banks were published in London Time: Poetry from London's Time Banks (nef: London) 2004, 36 pp. ISBN 1899407979  editor: Karen Lyon. This publication was sponsored by the London Time Bank Network, nef and the Carnegie United Kingdom Trust.

The second stage of the London Time Banks project received funding from the Arts Council.

The poetry group continued at West Euston, although the serious illness of Norah Platt meant that the group had lost its focus and direction.

In May 2005, with the appointment of poet and playwright Kim Morrissey as the workshop tutor, the poetry workshops became more regular.

At this stage of building a poetry workshop, Kim's role was that of a teacher. Poetry is a craft as well as a passion. In the early stages of a workshop, having an experienced poet in the group is the quickest way to teach the entire group poetic technique and the tools they need for group editing. Kim gradually changed her role in the group from Teacher to Mentor and Resource Person.

She held several workshops appointing someone else as the leader of the workshop, to show the poets it is possible for them to hold workshops without her. At this stage in their artistic development, it was still important to have an experienced poet to help put the work into its literary context and help shape artistic sensibilities.

The third communal project (still ongoing) is to create a  poetic drama, The Wind and the Sun (After Aesop)  showing the poets how to create and workshop their own play. As Kim is a professional playwright, this gives the group access to the workshop techniques of theatre professionals.

 A third of the NEF grant was contingent on the West Euston Time Bank organizing a London Time Bank Reading for National Poetry Day. Unlike the reading last year, West Euston organized a space which is wheel-chair accessible and also easily accessible (a five minute walk from Warren Street Station and local bus stops) at D4 Diorama Art Centre. 

For more information on the history of our poetry workshop  and National Poetry Day 2006 please click. 

For information on the schedule of events for National Poetry Day on 5th October 2006 please click.

For more information about joining our poetry workshop please click.