Fans inspire 'heartfelt' poem dedicated to the Potters

FANS and poet Alan Barrett have joined forces to reveal a brand new poem for Stoke City Football Club.

- Sentinel Reporter

It is part of A Poem for Your Club - a nationwide project from the National Literacy Trust and Arts Council England.

The poem, titled Vis Unita Fortior (United Strength is Stronger), was revealed during halftime at the Potters' home fixture against Norwich City.

There was also a live poetry reading in the fan zone, a celebratory book giveaway, and a specially produced video featuring the young people involved.

Stoke City is one of just five football club across England chosen to host a professional poet-in-residence through the Poem For Your Club initiative.

Poem For Your Club was created in response to declining writing levels and, inspired by the National Literacy Trust's two-decade long partnership with the Premier League, uses the power of football to spark creativity and a love of writing with children and the local community.

Recent research from the National Literacy Trust found that just 1 in 4 (26.6%) children and young people say they enjoy writing in their free time and writing enjoyment has halved in 15 years.

Simultaneously, young people's writing skills are a cause for concern with last year almost 3 in 10 (28%) 11-year-olds leaving primary school without the writing skills expected for their age, with those from disadvantaged backgrounds worse affected.

Local schools, fan groups, and community members joined workshops at the stadium last season, where local poet Alan Barrett helped participants unlock their creative voices through poetry.