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OETRY
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HALLENGE
6 October 2024
3 - 6pm
St. Margaret’s House, 21 Old Ford Road, London E2 9PL
RECITE A POEM
it’s all for charity and for the love of poetry committed to memory and shared for pleasure
That’s the challenge
All ages
All languages
WELCOME
If you can’t be the poet,
be the poem.
David carridine
2024
Old school faves - contemporary spoken word - lyrics (spoken or spat) - words of passion or protest
IGNITE your passion
DELIGHT the crowd
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OETRY
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HALLENGE
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Raising money for a charity of your choice is optional but encouraged.
As with many “challenges”, there has to be an element of hard graft... your mates and colleagues will be more likely to sponsor you if they know you’ve sweated a bit learning your lines.
But fear not, the bungee-jump of poetry in front of an audience is an altogether supportive experience. The vibe of the event is enthusiastic and positive and while we encourage people to learn their poems (that’s the challenge), we have a friendly prompt on hand should you need a little reminder. And applause is guaranteed !
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HALLENGE
MORE....
HOW DOES IT WORK?
- Each performer should aim for 2 - 4 minutes of recitation (more than 1 poem is fine)
- You will have a chance to introduce your poem and name-check your charity (if applicable) at the start of your performance. It’s up to you to manage your own donation collection
- If you’d prefer to sing or recite in another language - Go for it!
- This is a limited, ticketed event. We can only accommodate 25 performers with 1 guest each
- If you want to bring a friend, make sure you book 2 tickets on Eventbrite
- Entrance is FREE - but any Donations are welcome - Refreshments for sale
P
OETRY
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HALLENGE
October 6TH
2024
3PM-6PM
St. Margaret’s House
21 Old Ford Road, London E2 9PL
Nicholas Albery started The Poetry Challenge in 1995. He was a prolific social inventor, author, activist and a great lover of poetry.
He challenged himself to learn a poem a day and authored the best-selling A Poem For The Day: 366 Poems, Old and New, Worth Learning By Heart. He donated the royalties to the Natural Death Centre, a charity he set up with his wife, Josefine Speyer.
Thinking that a “poetry challenge” would be a way to raise money for charities, he set up this annual event (usually scheduled for the Sunday after National Poetry Day) and encouraged people to sign up and come together in a celebration of poetry in all forms. His hope was that there would be events of a similar nature all over the UK.
He died tragically in 2001 but you can read more about his fascinating life here:
The event is still proudly run by volunteers
