100 Poems for Portsmouth

100 Poems for Portsmouth launches at Portsmouth Guildhall on Tuesday 24 November, a book launch with a bit of a twist: every single poem in the collection was written by young people aged 11 to 16. It's not just a reading, either, as some of the contributors will be there to read their own work aloud on the night.

The project started earlier this year when the Leader of the Council commissioned Portsmouth Poetry to work in schools and youth groups across the city. The goal was to put together 100 poems to mark Portsmouth's centenary as a City, and the scale of it is what sticks out. Poets and rappers from 432Nomads worked with almost 1,000 participants, who sent in nearly 200 poems. From that, they picked the 100 that made the cut. It's a city-wide effort, then, rather than something coming from one classroom or one youth club, so the voices in the book come from all over Portsmouth.

On the night, you'll hear some of those voices in person, and copies of the book will be available to take home. It's recommended for ages 14 and over, or for under-14s accompanied by an adult, and there's a no-cameras-or-tablets rule in place. Doors open at 5.30pm, with the reading starting at 6pm. Tickets are £7, which includes a 0% booking fee, though a ticket restoration levy applies. If you're bringing someone younger than 14, just make sure you're with them.