The project aim is to engage residents attending the Let`s Chat Hubs in sharing their personal journeys, memories of travel, migration, holidays, daily commutes and life experiences. These stories will be transformed into poetry and creative writing that celebrates hope, peace, community and mental wellbeing and launched on Thursday 1st October which is National Poetry Day.
Collaborative partners include the Walsall Archive for All project, hosts of the Jack Haddock Collection, which is being developed with the support of a £249,020 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. The first collection to be made available focuses on the community transport on Walsall`s canals and railways. Walsall Archives have given Walsall poet Ian Henery historic images to use as poetry prompts so that local residents can also discover how these transport networks played a part in everyday life across Walsall.
The resource material will be used by Ian Henery on 26th September in Walsall Town Hall for Walsall Maker Fest. Ian will be running free creative writing workshops in advance of the workshops at the Let`s Chat Hubs in the Walsall Town Hall takeover at Walsall Makers Fest 2026. Ian will also be delivering creative writing workshops at the Lichfield Street Hub for Walsall Archives` Local History Fair based on community travel.
"I have gathered poetry prompts from Walsall Archives linked to travel and personal stories" explained Ian Henery "and I will then be trialling those creative writing workshops that support positive mental health. This will, in turn, showcase community voices and create a lasting legacy of poems and stories celebrating Walsall and West Bromwich communities."
