Creative Learning

Maggie Sawkins began writing poetry at the age of nine and had her first poems published in ‘Hampshire Poets’ when she was seventeen. Her poetry collections include Charcot’s Pet (Flarestack), The Zig Zag Woman (Two Ravens Press), Zones of Avoidance (Cinnamon Press), and Many Skies Have Fallen, (Wild Mouse Press). In 2014 she won the Ted Hughes Award for New Work in Poetry for her live literature production, Zones of Avoidance, which has been performed at literature festivals and theatres throughout the country. Maggie runs creative writing workshops in community and healthcare settings. Her most recent projects include the Penned-Up Literature Festival at HMP Downview, and Community Conversations for the refugee and asylum seeker community in Portsmouth in partnership with Journeys Festival International. Maggie regularly runs poetry workshops at Portsmouth Central Library for people affected by substance misuse, mental ill health and/or homelessness. She recently collaborated on a project with the Good Mental Health Co-operative enabling people to take part in a ‘From the Heart’ poetry recital for Bookfest 2020. Maggie holds an MA with distinction in Creative Writing. www.hookedonwords.me