EIGHT poems by local writers have been displayed at Bolton Station, alongside poetry by Lancashire writers and Walt Whitman.

It marks a celebration of Community Rail Week, further boosting the station’s title of ‘Poetry Station of the North’.

Bolton Station Community Partnership selected the winning poems from the 2021 ‘Poetry from the Platform’ competition, held in partnership with Live from Worktown, and the University of Bolton.

The competition was divided into age categories and the winning poets were Scarlett Holt and Seph Maher (under 16s), Abigail King and Kate Jones (16 to 25); 25 to 50, Emma Byron and Ibby Ismail (25 to 50 and Sally James and John Keane (over-50s).

Julie Levy, chair of the station partnership said: "This is a landmark event for the poets and everyone involved in supporting and judging the competition.

“Special thanks must go to Dave Morgan who was instrumental in having the anthology published, and to the other judges, Hilary Walker, Dr Ben Wilkinson and Dr Evan Jones.

“The competition was launched during lockdown and despite everything, it has come to its final stage with a fantastic flourish.”

As well as having their poetry up for the passengers to enjoy, their poems are also included in an anthology of more than 50 that were selected from the submissions.

This can be purchased via the groups’s website online at www.boltoncommunityrail.org.uk

The gallery is currently set up as a pop-up cinema, but will re-launch as a visual art space in December with their exciting multimedia exhibition, entitled ‘Different Pasts, Shared Futures’, which will be presented by artists from the Bolton City of Sanctuary.

Work on the station’s gardens is continuing, with the colourful planters on Platforms 4/5 being prepared for next spring.

A ceremony to formally unveil the poems will also be held on November 24 at 4pm, followed by a buffet in the community room and a showing of the acclaimed Octagon Theatre film, ‘The Fabric of Bolton’.

Attendance will be by invitation only and should you wish to be part of the event, you can e-mail Julie at the partnership at boltonstationcdp@gmail.com