A playwright from Mold is set to host an illustrated talk on Soldier Poets of the First World War, with the proceeds going to Blind Veterans UK, the national charity for vision-impaired ex-Service men and women.
Micheal Stevens will be hosting the event on Monday 8 May at Mold Library, with the poetry being read out by a selection of actors. As a writer, he’s had plenty of experience in putting on similarly theatrical events. He says: “I mostly specialise in plays that are rooted in our local community, for instance the Mold Riots of 1869. The company I write for now, Suitcase Theatre, began life with a production of ‘We’ll Keep A Welcome’, a play about evacuees who came to North Wales from Merseyside in 1939.”
Mike’s latest project will feature an array of poetry written by Soldier Poets who Served in the First World War. Their first-hand experience, Mike asserts, lends an invaluable perspective, and one he’s looking forward to sharing. He explains: “Poets such as Hedd Wyn, Wilfred Owen, Rupert Brooke and Isaac Rosenberg were there on the front line. Unlike earlier poets who wrote about the First World War, they have first-hand experience and so are able to lend a degree of authenticity not often found in this field.
“I’ve also made sure that the poetry brings an international perspective. We’ve got English poets, Welsh poets, Irish poets and German poets. It’s often quite easy to forget that the opposing side endured similar experiences. We’re hoping to cover it all.”
Mike’s support of the charity stems in part from his own experience as a soldier. He explains: “I did National Service in another century! As a result, Blind Veterans UK has long been amongst the charities I’ve supported.”
‘Soldier Poets of the First World War’ will be taking place at 7pm on Monday 8 May at Mold Library in the first floor @nswers centre. Admission will be free though donations to Blind Veterans UK will be welcomed.
Blind Veterans UK was founded in 1915 and the charity’s initial purpose was to help and support soldiers blinded in the First World War. But the organisation has gone on to support more than 35,000 blind veterans and their families, spanning WWII to recent conflicts including Iraq and Afghanistan.
For more than a century, the charity has been providing vital free training, rehabilitation, equipment and emotional support to blind and vision-impaired veterans no matter when they served or how they lost their sight. Visit blindveterans.org.uk/support to learn more about the charity and how you can support its vital work today.
For all media enquiries please contact: Felix Arbenz-Caines, PR Assistant, Blind Veterans UK, 12 – 14 Harcourt Street, London, W1H 4HD, E: Felix.Arbenz-Caines@blindveterans.org.uk, T: 020 7616 7941
Blind Veterans UK
Blind Veterans UK is a national charity that believes that no-one who has served our country should have to battle blindness alone. Founded in 1915, the charity provides blind and vision impaired ex-Service men and women with lifelong support including welfare support, rehabilitation, training, residential and respite care.
Find out more at: blindveterans.org.uk, follow us on Facebook at: facebook.com/blindveteransuk and on Twitter at: twitter.com/blindveterans.
