Pubs, poems and positivity from Peterborough poet

The poem, which has been specially commissioned for pubs in East Anglia by arts project INN CROWD, has been written and performed by poet Charley Genever from Peterborough.

Charley’s poem is part of a national campaign called ‘Winter Warmers’ that aims to help bring some cheer and hope to publicans, their staff and their local communities and to help connect people during this difficult start to 2021 with this current lockdown.

Landlords are using the cards to help keep them connected with their locals by putting them in customers’ takeaway bags and food boxes or writing a cheery note on them to post through the doors of people who may be struggling.

A former Peterborough Poet Laureate and vice chair of the city’s Syntax Poetry Festival, Charley has written a poem called ‘Down the Local’ for the campaign.

Charley, who has co-run a poetry night for the past three years at The Stoneworks bar in Church Street, Peterborough, said: “The ‘Winter Warmers’ campaign is a brilliant chance for me to give something back, particularly at a time like this. I think pubs are such creative spaces, and I love being a part of a project that is celebrating community and creativity.”

She added: “I wanted to capture some of the memories and feelings I always associate with being at my local and celebrate how pubs really do champion communities. I hope that other people will be inspired to think about their fond memories of being in a pub.”

The ‘Winter Warmers’ campaign has been created by Pub is The Hub, the independent not-for-profit organisation that offers specialist advice on the diversification of services at rural pubs and ways publicans can support their local communities, and INN CROWD, which works with pubs to provide them access to professional live literature, which is specially commissioned for pub audiences.

The ‘Winter Warmers’ campaign sees two industries, pubs and the arts, which are among the sectors most detrimentally impacted by the pandemic join forces in a positive collaboration.