About Me

When I left school I got a job on a golf course cutting the grass. Then I got sacked and went on the dole for a bit. Then I had loads of different jobs. So far I have worked as a gardener, worked in a kitchen factory, been a builders labourer, a van driver, a Butlins breakfast cook, a pizza chef, a nightclub bouncer, a heavy metal drummer, a stand-up comedian, a security guard, a roadie, a postman, a window-cleaner, a burglar alarm installer, a gravedigger and a University lecturer. I have also worked on a building site in Greece and once had a job putting the stripes in humbugs!! Now I am a full time poet and performer. After 8 years I still can’t believe people actually pay me to go into schools, have fun and read my poems out. I have the best job in the world.

EDUCATION:

1996.99 University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield BA (Hons) English Studies 2:1

2000.2 Leeds Metropolitan University, Leeds MA English: Twentieth Century Literature Merit

WORK EXPERIENCE:

Jan 2003 – Present FREELANCE WRITER, POET AND PERFORMER

Alongside working in primary schools, secondary schools, libraries, festivals, colleges, universities, prisons, museums, art galleries, community centres, football club study centres and hospitals, I have also undertaken the following longer residencies, commissions and projects:

2012

• Harrogate International Festival, Poet In Residence
• Streetspeak, Preston Youth Offending Team
• Tour Of International Schools, Kazakhstan
• North Yorkshire Looked After Children, Poet In Residence
• Writer in Residence, Kirklees Youth Offending Team, Dewsbury
• BBC Radio Leeds and York, regular guest slot

2011

• Streetspeak, Preston Youth Offending Team
• International School Of Brussels
• North Yorkshire Looked After Children, Poet In Residence
• Schools Poet In Residence, Blackpool
• Games Gone By, Cartwheel Arts
• BBC Radio Leeds , Writer/presenter of 1 hour documentary Last Orders
• Last Orders, Pick Of The Week, BBC Radio 4
• Writer in Residence, Kirklees Youth Offending Team, Dewsbury
• BBC Radio Leeds and York, regular guest slot

2010

• International Tour of Schools in Brunei, Borneo
• Playing for Success Writing Project, National Museum of Football,Preston
• Serendipity Arts Summer School, Kirklees Youth Offending Team
• Summer Reading Challenge, Bradford Libraries
• Wordpool, Blackpool Libraries
• Writer in Residence, Kirklees Youth Offending Team, Dewsbury
• BBC Radio Leeds and York, regular guest slot

2009

• Leeds Schools Gifted & Talented Pupils Project
• Creative Partnerships: Change School Programme, Doncaster
• Working Heroes: Rotherham Schools
• Virtual Poetry Project: Sheffield Schools
• Streetspeak, Preston Youth Offending Team
• Writer in Residence, Kirklees Youth Offending Team, Dewsbury
• BBC Radio Leeds and York, regular guest slot

2008

• Writer in Residence, Todmorden Touchwood Community Arts Project
• Big Rhyme Rumble National Tour of Libraries
• Writer in Residence, Calderdale Youth Offending Team, Halifax.
• 01/04-05/08 Writer in Residence, Calderdale Youth Offending Team, Halifax.
• 01/06 – present BBC Radio Leeds and York, regular guest slot.

2007

• Writer in Residence, Kirklees Youth Offending Team, Dewsbury
• Writer in Residence, Bradford Youth Offending Team, Bradford
• Big Wild Rhyme National Tour of Libraries
• Poet in Residence, Matchmaker/Sheffield United Football Club
• BBC RaW Football Stories Co-Ordinator, BBC London.
• Writer in Residence, Calderdale Youth Offending Team, Halifax.
• BBC Radio Leeds and York, regular guest slot.
• BBC RaW Football Stories Co-Ordinator, BBC London.
• Arts Council Award for Outstanding Work with Young People.

2006

• Poet in Residence, Ilkley Literature Festival, Ilkley
• Writer in Residence, Kirklees Youth Offending Team, Dewsbury
• Writer in Residence, Calderdale Youth Offending Team, Halifax.
• BBC Radio Leeds and York, regular guest slot.
• BBC RaW Football Stories Co-Ordinator, BBC London.
• Writer in Residence, HMYOI Northallerton.

2005

• Poet in Residence, Ilkley Literature Festival, Ilkley
• Writer in Residence, Kirklees Youth Offending Team, Dewsbury
• Poet in Residence, Ilkley Literature Festival, Ilkley
• Writer in Residence, Calderdale Youth Offending Team, Halifax.
• Writer in Residence, HMYOI Northallerton.

2004

• Writer in Residence, Kirklees Youth Offending Team, Dewsbury
• Poet in Residence, Ilkley Literature Festival, Ilkley
• Writer in Residence, Calderdale Youth Offending Team, Halifax

2003

• Reader in Residence, Calderdale Libraries, Halifax.
• Writer in Residence, Kirklees Youth Offending Team, Dewsbury
• Poet in Residence, Ilkley Literature Festival, Ilkley

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