New writers' network in the city is launched

ABOUT 50 scribes turned up at Plymouth Central Library last Saturday for the launch of a new writers' network for the city.

- WILLIAM TELFORD

The event was led by writer/director Jon Nash and featured contributions from Plymouth laureate of words RC Thomas, young laureate Issy Powell and Literature Works' Helen Chaloner.

The launch of the network, supported by Plymouth Culture, Plymouth Octopus Project and WonderZoo, provided a fitting end to a momentous 2025 for the city's writing scene.

And, as we look back on a year of events, it is clear Plymouth is becoming more of a Literary City than ever.

Possibly the highlight of the year came in August, when several of Plymouth's leading poets met at a manor house on the edge of Dartmoor to remember poet John Hall, a former vice-principal of Dartington College, who had died at the age of 80.

Among those attending were Julian Isaacs, Kevin Cox, Jonathan Clark, Norman Jope, Ed Tapper, Steve Spence, Elena Brake, Kenny Knight, Jonathan Wooding, Benjamin Brake and Dan Hartigan.

However, it was just one of several exciting events in a packed calendar, kicking off in January, when arts organisation WonderZoo staged a creative writing workshop, at The Box, to celebrate the life of British composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor.