Sheffield Half Term Poetry Shindig for Teens (12-16)

Debjani Chatterjee is leading a poetry workshop for teenagers at St Mary's Church on Wednesday 28 October, part of the half-term break. It's called the Sheffield Half Term Poetry Shindig, and it's aimed at 12- to 16-year-olds, so it's a good one to keep in mind if you've got a teen at home who's into writing or just needs something to do while school's out.

Chatterjee is a well-known poet, and she'll be guiding the group through an hour of what she calls 'crazy verse-making'. The whole thing is designed to be playful and interactive, with the aim of getting creative juices flowing and tickling the funny bone rather than sitting in a quiet room and overthinking a stanza. It's less about the rules of poetry and more about getting stuck in and having a laugh with it.

The session is run by St Mary's Community Centre and Church, and it's open to anyone over 12. One thing to keep in mind: children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian, so you'll be heading along with them. There's free parking available on site, which is a handy bonus if you're driving in from across the city.

It kicks off at 11:00 am, with doors opening at 10:45 am, and it runs for about an hour and fifteen minutes. Entry is free, and there's lunch at St Mary's cafe afterwards, so you can stick around and chat once the workshop wraps up. You'll find it at St Mary's Church, Bramall Lane, Highfield, Sheffield S2 4QZ.