In light of the newest lockdown restrictions and in a bid to bring some hope to the local community, a filmed version of the Redditch Borough Poem has been released this week.

With the New Year being the perfect time for reflection, the film is being released exactly one year after the first call for residents to join in with the project by submitting a line of poetry which would be used to develop this community piece.

The concept of the work was to get lots of different people, groups, or organisations, each with different views of the borough to write a line of the poem, describing what makes the place special and meaningful to them.

The virtual reading of the poem is available to view here on the council’s YouTube channel and it will also be released shortly on social media too.

The poem was intended to be performed at a live event at the Palace Theatre last year. When the pandemic made this impossible, it was decided to develop a film version expressing the incredible community spirit in Redditch at this challenging time. People who had originally sent in lines were invited to participate.

Recorded last autumn in accordance with Government guidelines, the poem is now ready to be shared with the rest of the borough. The participants involved in creating the virtual reading of the poem hope that it will be shared far and wide.

Cllr Mike Rouse, whose portfolio covers Leisure and Cultural Services, said: “As well as bringing people together, the point of this project is to get people thinking about what Redditch means to them, which is something the council really needs to understand we start to plan for the future of our town post-pandemic. Cultural tools such as the Redditch Poem draws out people’s thoughts and engages communities in ways that surveys alone cannot reach as part of the reforging of Redditch.”

Thank you to Arts in Redditch and Bromsgrove and Redditch Welcome Refugees for supporting this project – and to all the community groups and individuals who took part for being so generous with their time and creativity.

If you would like to know more details about the poetry project or the virtual reading, please contact Redditch Borough Council Arts Development Officer Stewart Sanderson via email stewart.sanderson@bromsgroveandredditch.gov.uk.