Write over London

The sun shone beautifully on 17 June, perfectly timed for Channing’s first ‘Write Over London’ event at Kenwood House. Twenty-two creative writers from a range of East London Consortium Schools (Channing, City of London School for Girls, Mulberry School, The Central Foundation School and Highbury Fields) and their English teachers were treated to a golden day of writing with two famous poets on the green slopes of Kenwood, on Hampstead Heath.
The day started with the poet Clare Pollard (a popular Literary Society visitor to Channing last year) celebrating the summer with poetry of praise. The group explored what they would ‘sing’ about and then were sent outside to find a stimulus and write an ode. It was not hard to find inspiration among the house and grounds of Kenwood, and girls were soon back with wonderful works in praise of water, grass, ants, a buttercup and even the back stairs.
We were lavishly lunched in the Old Kitchen and then returned to the education room in the company of one of the great writers of the British poetry world: Michael Laskey, who is famous for his workshopping abilities. True to form, he had quickly established an intensely concentrated space for writing and in a remarkably short time girls had created breathtakingly impressive pieces on ‘Memories’ ‘A Childhood game’, ‘A Touch’ and completed the phrase ‘How easily happiness is reached by….’
Happiness was very easily reached by being in the company of so many lively, creative minds and by responding to two of the best writing workshoppers in the business.
The Kenwood staff did us proud, offering a venue that provided education, which was enriching in its fullest sense, delicious food and excellent service. I hope we will be writing over London for many years to come and would like to thank everyone involved in the day, in particular my colleagues Ms Best and Ms Stacey, for helping to organise the day so well.
Mrs Brown