Events
Quiet morning with pop-up poetry library
I’ll be running a half-day retreat – a quiet morning of reading and (if you want to) writing – at St Stephen’s Church in Exeter early in 2025. Whatever your interest in poetry – beginner or expert, a writer or a reader – you’ll be most welcome to browse a well-curated selection of books chosen from my own poetry shelves. It’ll be a relaxed morning, with tea, coffee and biscuits on hand. There will be a chance to share any new favourite poems you find – and for the poets among you, some books will contain prompts to inspire your own writing. I’ll also be offering a small handful of 1:1 slots where I’ll ‘prescribe’ a poem you might like, or a writing exercise you might enjoy, based upon what you tell me. This retreat will cost £10 – an at-cost price to cover venue and refreshments. Contact me if you’d like to know more.
Dark Earth, Bright Field
I’m delighted to report that the first Poems for the Path Ahead residential retreat in 2025 is also the Spring Retreat for the Association for Promoting Retreats – and it’s almost full. I will be co-leading Dark Earth, Bright Field alongside Demelza Henderson. The retreat’s title is drawn from poems by Louise Gluck and RS Thomas. Rooted in a simple structure of prayer and silence, the weekend will include poetry reading and, for those who want to, poetry writing, at the Sheldon Retreat Centre in Devon. There will be plenty of time to rest and relax, pray, read and write. If you’d like more details or a booking form, please email: promoting.retreats@gmail.com. If you’d like to find out about other Poems for the Path Ahead events, please visit the contact form on this website and ask to join the mailing list.
Even in Darkness, Light Dawns
As Advent approaches, Demelza Henderson and I are offering a peaceful weekend retreat inspired by what poets, psalmists and New Testament authors have written on the powerful theme of darkness and light. We’ll be at St Katherine’s, Parmoor, in Oxfordshire and within easy travelling distance of London. This retreat, held gently in a framework of simple prayer and some silence, includes: group reading and discussion of poems; prompts to inspire your own writing; one-to-one meetings on request for spiritual direction or poetry conversation; and free time for rest, reading, writing, and private prayer. Whether you’re new to poetry or an experienced writer, we hope you’ll be blessed with fresh insights into its richness as a resource for your spiritual journey. For more details or to book please visit the event listing on St Katharine’s website – and do feel free to contact me if you have any questions about the weekend.