Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust brings (Un)spoken Word: Poetry for the Soul to Wolverhampton Literature Festival
Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (BCHFT), the lead provider of mental health, learning disability and autism services across the Black Country, is proud to present (Un)spoken Word: Poetry for the Soul at this year’s Wolverhampton Literature Festival.
Founded in 2021 under the banner of BCHFT, the (Un)spoken Word poetry group was created to give voice to experiences often left unspoken; mental health, suicide prevention, wellbeing, and life. The group is led by local poet and BCHFT’s Strategic Suicide Prevention Coordinator, David Stocks, alongside aspiring poet and colleague Kate Pritchard, both of whom are passionate about using poetry to inspire hope and recovery.
A safe space for expression
The event invites everyone, seasoned writers, first-time poets, or those who simply wish to listen, to join in a welcoming and supportive environment. Attendees can:
Bring and share: Read their own poems or have them read aloud by David, with themes including mental health, recovery, hope, and wellbeing.
A poem for the soul: Take part in a collaborative workshop guided by David Stocks, co-creating a poem that embodies connection and hope - something meaningful to take away.
Free refreshments will be provided, and trained Mental Health First Aiders from the Trust will be present to ensure a safe and supportive space for all participants.
Why It Matters
Mental health challenges affect people from all walks of life. (Un)spoken Word, supported by BCHFT, has already touched many through community gatherings and published a collection of participant poetry. Feedback highlights how the sessions foster connection, friendship, and healing.
“Poetry allows me to express what I cannot always say in conversation,” says David Stocks. “It distils a part of me that feels more authentic, and it helps others understand me better. That’s the power of words.”
“Having a bipolar mental health condition, I have often struggled to share my deepest thoughts with those who are there to help me. In these times I have reverted to poetry as a form of communication, acting both cathartically and to help others understand me, so that they can better help me.”
Susan Van Genderen, Chief Therapies Officer at BCHFT agrees: “The expression of feelings through prose and poetry can be very therapeutic. It allows people to communicate their inner feelings and thoughts in a creative way. It can enable others to gain insight and to help people feel heard and not alone.
“Coming together for creative events like this creates a shared sense of understanding of the value of words and a sense of connection to others.”
The Trust wants to support prevention and early help in communities as Laura Brookes, Associate Director of Partnerships describes:
“The (Un)spoken word poetry group is another way for us to connect with our communities through a creative and preventative approach. We know that any of us could struggle with our mental health at times, so the more tools we have in our toolbox the more able we are to connect and build hope.”
Event Details
Event: (Un)spoken Word: Poetry for the Soul
Venue: Wolverhampton Art Gallery
Date/time: Saturday 7 February, 3.30-5pm
Cost: Free entry – refreshments provided
