Date published: 3 September 2021

Mersey Care is once again celebrating the health and wellbeing benefits of creative arts by hosting a virtual National Poetry Day on Thursday 7 October (10am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm).

This year is special as 2021 is designated Liverpool's Year of Writing. Mersey Care’s Chairman Beatrice Fraenkel will be reading a favourite poem and the event will be led by newly appointed Writer in Residence at The Life Rooms Maria Isakova Bennett, an award-winning poet, published author and artist based in Merseyside.

Maria explained: “National Poetry Day is an annual mass celebration that encourages everyone to enjoy, discover and share poetry. I’m delighted to be hosting this year’s event, however due to concerns around Covid our event will be held online via Zoom. We hope this will enable as many people as possible to safely participate, listen to some wonderful pieces of poetry and share their own works.”

Mersey Care wants to hear from participants of The Life Rooms, Mersey Care service users and carers, staff, cultural partners and the wider public. The theme for this year’s National Poetry Day is “Choice” and people taking part have an opportunity to pre-book a short time slot to read their own works, or simply attend and listen to others. There is also a pre-bookable creative writing workshop led by Maria Isakova Bennett.

To book a place or find out more, email Maria Isakova Bennett mariamersey1@gmail.com or visit www.liferooms.org