Poetry Swindon

We're a small, friendly group and our sessions are very relaxed. We usually gather around the table for the first half of the evening to share and discuss poems we've encountered, or to spend some time writing. During the second half of the evening we move to the comfy chairs and read some of our own poems to the group for gentle critique.

If you're bringing poems to share (yours or someone else's) it can be helpful to bring 3-4 printed copies but this isn't vital.

There are kitchen facilities to make hot drinks and there is usually a good selection available, and more often than not there are sweet treats.

We each pop £2 in a bowl for the farm to help cover the costs of facilities. 

Poetry Swindon aims to be a safe space for everyone. We will not tolerate hate speech of any kind. if you are at one of our events and think there is something we can do to be more welcoming or accessible then please let us know. 

From January 2024, we will be meeting monthly at Lower Shaw Farm, Old Shaw Lane, Shaw, Swindon, SN5 5PJ. 

Parking

There is a small carpark just inside the farm on the right hand side. If this is full, or you are a nervous parker, there is space outside on the road. It is a very quiet residential road and you won't have to worry about traffic whizzing by when you are getting in or out of your vehicle.

Physical Accessibility

Some of the ground between the carpark and the old cowshed is a little rough, but is navigable for anyone using walking aids, a wheelchair, or scooter. There is a ramp onto the hardstanding outside of the cowshed.

​Inside the cowshed there is a choice of dining table type chairs, or soft sofas. ​

Toilets

Lower Shaw Farm has accessible toilets available to all genders. 

Sound and Light

There are motion activated lights on the drive at Lower Shaw Farm, with more lights the closer you get to the cowshed. If you are not a fan of the dark, or like to have better light to see with when moving around, you may wish to bring a torch - many find that the torch on their phone does the job nicely.

The farm is in a quiet area so there is little to no traffic and town sounds. Being a farm, you may hear noises from the ducks and chickens, as well as noises from local wildlife.