Year 7 and 8 students from Shireland Collegiate Academy visited St Albans Community Centre to take part in Poetry Together, an initiative that brings generations of local residents together through shared performance and discussion.
The project encourages participants with a passion for poetry to share their enthusiasm with others to create meaningful connections across communities. This year’s theme, friendship, invited reflections on relationships, shared experiences, and the bonds that bring people together.
During the visit, students performed their own poems for the centre’s residents. In response, locals recited their own creations or shared some of their favourite classics. The readings were followed by heart warming conversations, where students listened to residents’ stories and discussed the experiences that inspired their poems. The event concluded with students presenting gift hampers, adding a warm and personal touch to the day.
Thomas Daly, Principal at Shireland Collegiate Academy, said: “Poetry has a unique way of bridging gaps and bringing people together. Seeing our students share their work and listen to residents’ own life stories reminded us all how powerful the arts can be in connecting communities and generations.
“Events like Poetry Together also enrich our students’ learning beyond the classroom, helping them develop confidence, empathy, and a sense of responsibility; supporting our ethos of nurturing active members of the community.”
Poetry Together was created by author, broadcaster, and poetry enthusiast Gyles Brandreth. The initiative encourages schools and care home residents to learn poems by heart and recite them together, with students either choosing a poem they love or writing an original piece based on an annual theme. Seniors then respond with poems linked to the same theme, creating a shared experience rooted in language and creativity. Now in its seventh year, the project has involved more than 1,000 schools and care homes.
The visit left a lasting impression on both students and residents, helping to build genuine friendships and shared memories that extended well beyond poetry itself.
