This exciting new event was suggested and financially supported (at the Arts Centre stage of proceedings) by the SFL but was organised by Josie Williams for Commonweal School, a Performing Arts College, who also funded the larger part of preparatory workshops for all schools.
A splendid success! Inspiring, entertaining, and, generally, very well run. It brought to the Festival another full house, of new faces, who witnessed words at work and play and young people being more than OK and proving that the future's bright. A real investment for the future of literary activity in Swindon!
This is how poet/workshopper/MC Marcus Moore described it: '- a raucous and rollicking affair which saw eighteen teams of Year 8 students from ten local secondary schools delivering their stanzas with vigour and rigour to an enthusiastic applaudience at the Arts Centre.
Poetic topics ranged from the comically surreal to comments about friendship, bullying and the Iraq war. In an excitingly close final, Toxamic Clown, an energetic team from Commonweal School, eventually seized the trophy to become the town's first Youth Slam victors. After the success of this year's event, Stanza and Deliver is all set to feature in the Festival programme next year.' D'accord!
Radio interview part one
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