Derbyshire Poet Laureate
from Laureate Lines:
Laureate Beginnings
‘Cathy Grindrod was appointed as the first Derbyshire Poet Laureate on National Poetry Day, October 2005 … Cathy appeared at over 40 events, including festivals, workshops and readings; met a range of community groups; and attracted audiences of over 1700 people. The laureateship inspired 30 new poems, 10 of which were specially commissioned …’
Laureate Reflects
‘There were so many challenges and wonderful moments. I wrote in fields, lay-byes, churchyards, on buses and rocks, in cafes (many many cafes …) read everywhere from B & Bs and marquees to schools and castles; inspired poets in a cave, on a barge, at Carnivals, on a wagon train; became an expert on old nails, the lifecycle of robins, limestone formations, plague cures, 12th century football; overcame completely a fear of history lingering from schooldays; heard tales about parental pastimes to make your hair curl; and was not just a poet but a bird-watcher, screen writer, local historian, cow girl, botanist, speliologist (look it up) …
The best moments always came while talking to Derbyshire people - from 12 months to 103 - when my poems linked to their own lives and led to them sharing their own feelings about life and about living in Derbyshire. Poetry does, purely and simply, connect us. I have always been and always will be, a passionate believer that poetry is for everyone and can reach all of us.‘
Laureate Beginnings
‘The success of Cathy’s time as laureate has been down to her abilities as both poet and communicator. Through meeting people, reading her poems, explaining where her ideas come from, and how she writes, Cathy has given audiences an insight into the practicalities of being a poet and what a poet does. They have responded enthusiastically to Cathy as a person and to her work, and have been generous in sharing their stories evoked by particular poems.’
Thank you for inspiring me to write - keep doing what you are doing, you are a great inspiration to a lot of people (audience member)
You make an excellent Poet Laureate - if it wasn’t for your encouragement, I think I might have stopped writing a long time ago! (audience member)
Your openness when performing your poetry and your natural humorous take on life is reflected in your work … frankly we need more Poet Laureates like yourself (audience member)
