THE seventh Poetry Buzz, featuring approximately 30 local children,  took place place in the 1873 Lounge at Saints’ Totally Wicked Stadium for the first time earlier this month.

Children from 12 St Helens Primary schools came together for a feast of performance poetry with the event hailed a triumphant success.

The festival was founded by Paul Delaney, the father of Saints’ prop forward George, (who was also in attendance to present the prizes).

Sinead Walsh, head teacher at Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School in Parr, said: "This event is fantastic and celebrates all of the wonderful gifts and talents of our children in St Helens and gives them an opportunity to shine the brightest."

The ‘Poetry Buzz’ festival is a celebration of performance poetry, with each child writing and performing their own poem, after a creative writing workshop with Paul.

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This year, the second anthology of the children’s poems was published, entitled ‘Poetry Spark’, the front cover created by Eaves’ Primary School’s Pippa Blackstock, in Year 6, winner of the ‘design the cover’ competition.

"I was astounded by the depth, quality and fabulous presentations that all the young poets made," said Pippa’s proud dad.

"Thank you for inspiring my daughters."

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Sam Forbes, KS2 teacher at Queen’s Park Primary School, said: "Paul is one of the unsung heroes of the poetry world.

"Every year, he inspires hundreds of children across the borough to write and perform their own poems.

"Thank you, Paul, for raising children’s aspirations by putting on these events!"