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BHM Women’s Poetry Competition

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Each year we run our Women’s Poetry Competition in Leicester as part of our celebration of Black History Month (BHM) in the UK.

The readings and competition were held last Saturday 29th October 2022 at the African Caribbean Centre in the City of Leicester.

It was a wonderful occasion where we not only listened to some great poems and found out some of the stories behind the pieces shared with us, but we also got the audience to write some poetry as well. Some people surprised themselves. What a fun time we had.

Each year we ask those submitting work to write to a theme. The theme this year was Still I Rise taken from the title of the inspiring poem by the same name by Maya Angelou.

Thanks to our sponsors this year Leicester City Council, Serendipity, and Inspiring You CIC.

This year’s Winner was Valerie Walbrook with her poem I am Black History.

Left to Right: Marcia Brown, Service Delivery Manager (Area East), Neighbourhood Services, Leicester City Council, Valerie Walbrook – Winner, and Sandra Pollock SanRoo Publishing.

Carolyn Turner (last year’s Winner) was the Finalist this year with her poem Battercry.

Other women poets recognised on the day for their submissions, receiving ‘Poem of Merit’ were:
* Nelista Cuffy her poem Mother of Mine, You’re Missed.
* Pratibha Savani with her poem Empowered.
* Jacqueline Samuel with her poem To Love Ourselves.

Left to Right Sandra Pollock, SanRoo Publishing, Carolyn Turner (Finalist), Marcia Brown, Service Delivery Manager (Area East), Neighbourhood Services, Leicester City Council
Left to Right: Pratibha Savani, Jacqueline Samuel, Valerie Walbrook (Winner), Carolyn Turner (Finalist), and Nelista Cuffy.

And finally, we are excited to share our new YouTube channel where you can see and hear these wonderful poets read their poems. Click the box below.

SanRoo Publishing YouTube

Poetry Competition

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Celebration of Blacko Females Voices – Still I Rise

You are invited to take part in a Women’s Poetry competition.

The theme is ‘Celebration of Black Female Voices – Still I Rise’.

Poems should be 30 lines or less (with a title and author’s contact details at the bottom).

This competition opens 26th August 2022

The closing date for submissions* is Saturday 8 October 2022

Competition winners will be invited to read their poems at an event on Saturday 29th October 2022, 1pm – 3pm at The African Caribbean Centre, Maidstone Road, LE2 0UA.

*Submissions should be emailed to:

editor.sanroopublishing@gmail.com or africancaribbeancentre@leicester.gov.uk

or in you in the area you can hand your submission in at the African Caribbean Centre.

Women’s Creative Writing Workshops

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Due to popular demand, we’ve decided to open up our six-month Creative Writing workshop for women, to a wider audience. Following our amazing six-month creative writing workshop last year we have been frequently asked when are we going to run another programme.

We are excited to announce that we will be starting our next programme in February.

The programme will run online fortnightly (so every two weeks.) There may be the occasional face-to-face meeting if this is allowed.

We will have a Facebook group for support and information where we focus on helping you edit your work and get feedback.

If you’re interested in joining, please drop us an email at projects.inspiringyou@gmail.com

The cost is £336. per person.

Our first session starts on Saturday 12th February at 10am.

Silence!

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Feeling Locked in a cage trying to reach for the sky,

Trying to break the Silence that killed my soul every time,

Ashamed and bruised.

How can I tell my story?

Without me being accused?


It wasn’t my fault.

That he thought I could be used.

As a victim for him to abuse,

While he felt amused.

Silence burdened my soul heavy,

Every time scared of being accused,

While my abuse kept him amused.


Finally, the silence broke,

Each bar of the cage came crashing down

As the story of my abuse started to unfold.

” I’m not the accused – he is,

The bars may build up from time to time

But at least this bird has tried to fly

To reach that blue sky.


By Roxy Rafi

Chained by Carolyn Turner

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Chained to the hills
Chained to the land
Forever chained to thy masters hand

Chained to the mistress
Chained to her kin
Chained to the life I’m now living

Chained to the boat that carries me away
Chained to the prayers of hope I pray

Chained to this man who foes love me
Chained to the babes they stole from me

Chained to my broken weary limbs
Chained to the grave
Soiled filled to the brim

By the grace of God
Thy chains do break
Freedom comes
But comes too late

‘Chained’ by Carolyn Turner. Winner of the Leicester Women’s Poetry Competition 2021.

The theme of this year’s competition was ‘Celebration of Black Female Voices’. This is an annual poetry competition held in honour of Black History Month celebrated in the month of October in the UK

Some New Titles coming…

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Don’t let our silence give you the impression that we’re not busy.

Authors have been busier than ever over the past 12 months of social isolation and change. We’re excited to share that we have four new titles coming out in the next couple of months. You’ll be reading books from new and current authors on our list.

The Creatures Creative Collective Series

We have the third in the Creatures Creatives Collective series: Polly, The Pugilist Puffin, written by Bobba Cass with some wonderful and vibrant illustrations by Peter Buckley. Your little ones will thoroughly enjoy this fable and the illustrations. The launch date for this book will be shared with you soon. Here is a sneak peek of the cover.

New Female Authors Anthology

Our parent company Inspiring You CIC has been running a programme to support women living in the City of Leicester. Leicester now has the reputation of having been the UK City held in lockdown for the longest. The six-month programme funded by the Coronavirus Community Support Fund, distributed by the National Lottery Community Fund, has been focused on helping to improve the wellbeing of women from the African Caribbean and Asian communities in the city.

Entitled Create Together, the programme introduced the participants to things like Arts and Crafts, Yoga, Exercise, Creative Writing, Mental and Emotional Confidence, and Wellbeing through online workshops, as a means of managing their stress levels.

Our Creative Writing workshops really touched a cored with many of the participants. Many of them found an author deep within they never knew was there. To complete the programme, we’ve put together some of their stories, poems, and some of the images they created in a wonderful anthology. We’re sure you will find these creations touching, heartwarming and inspiring. We can’t wait to be able to share it with you.

Most of these new authors had never considered writing before but have now found that they have a passion for writing. Their voices and stories deserve to be heard. The anthology is entitled Create Together – Our Voices, Our Hands, Our Lives and should be out in the next month.

Other New Books on the Horizon

Other authors of our writing family bringing out their debut poetry books are Sammy Nour and Matt Gopsall, both of whom you may recall have previously submitted great poems to our website. So watch out for their books in the next couple of months.

Yes, we’ve been busy and we hope you have as well. Don’t forget you can submit your work for consideration anytime.