The Writer’s Refuge
Since 2021, Northern Broadsides have worked with St Augustine’s Centre in Halifax, to provide free writing, poetry and performance sessions for refugees and people seeking asylum in the local area. Recently, a talented regular group have been meeting to learn the basics of writing poetry and plays led by local poet, Clare Shaw.
Recently, the group met to write poetry inspired by colours. Here’s a few snippets of what some of the group came up with…
Life without poetry
like life without water
like life without air
like life without love
poetry is love
poetry is water
poetry is air
Mohamed Mukhtar
The sun controls my mood, the sunlight tickles my feelings, the sunshine changes my day, the power of golden
Rami Magharbe
The moors are wearing their soft purple jumpers.
I want to lie in their arms and listen to curlew
and lapwing
and bees.
Clare Shaw
In March 2025, we launched The Writer’s Refuge anthology; a powerful collection of stories, poetry, and diaries from 12 writers from refugee and asylum-seeking backgrounds. The launch event was filled with live readings, insightful discussions, and a moving online exchange of poetry with a group of climate refugees from Australia.
