9–10 June 2018
Elaine Baker comes from Wantage in Oxfordshire and is an MA student at The Poetry School, London. She is a qualified teacher and works as a freelance Creative Educator. She absolutely loves inspiring and mentoring young poets at Didcot Girls’ School, where she is Patron of Writing.
Her poetry has appeared in a wide range of print and online journals and she was a Mslexia poetry finalist in 2017.
Elaine is really looking forward to the experience of being Poet in Residence at Nomura International PLC very soon!
Louise Adams did an MA in Arts and Environment from Manchester’s Metropolitan University in 2003, following which she spent time in Residence at Lothlorien Community and Samye Ling Buddhist Community. Louise was Poet in Residence for OGSW 2017 at Sellincourt Primary School Edible Garden.
Louise returned to London to volunteer at Jamyang Buddhist Centre where she also had an exhibition of photographic works.
"Where have you come from? where are you going?" Selina asked in Open Gardens last year and people shared their stories of loss and renewal.
Gardenless, Selina is inspired by mash-up London and all its open spaces. She is a writer who also performs and gives readings, most recently as part of the European Poetry Festival 2018.
Selina is of mixed Indian parentage and was raised on a council estate. She has written a series of poems about work-life and another on the experiences of black and Asian people, now growing older in England and her work has appeared in numerous journals.
The following lines were written anonymously by visitors to an Open Garden last year.
The grasses move, even without wind.
I have lived here all my life,
in our troubled city, I hope for something to rise
from ashes, for roses to be purpler.