Friends of Real Lancashire are pleased to announce the appointment of a Poet Laureate for the Historic County of Lancashire.
Mr Steve Williams who has written many light-hearted poems especially for the northern audience has recently been appointed to this new honorary post. Steve has been described as: ‘a poet for people who don’t think they like poetry’; ‘the LS Lowry of poetry’; ‘Stan Ayres’(!); and ‘somebody who should be doing something more useful with his time.’ Steve writes for a broad audience but he admits that his poems are “enjoyed best with an Eccles cake or two and cup of strong tea.”
Steve Williams was born in Liverpool in 1970 but was brought up in Wigan. He attended Holy Family Primary School in Wigan and St. Joseph’s High School in Horwich. Growing up, Steve had his heart set on becoming an English teacher but initially opted for a career in graphic design instead. In this field, he worked in Manchester for over 3 years. However, in 1991 the opportunity arose for him to go to University in Birmingham followed by teacher training in Hull. Steve has taught English in several high schools and has led numerous reading and writing initiatives for hundreds of young people across the north.
He knows his way around a rhyming couplet that’s for sure. He is the writer behind www.jiggerypoetry.com, a personalised poetry service launched in 2016. He writes poems for weddings, birthdays, retirements, funerals, corporate events and even football teams! He is a former “Poet in Residence” for BBC Radio York and has written two books of poems: 'A Midsummer's Ice Cream’ and ‘A Shepherd's Tale…and other Christmas poems’ – both of which can be found on Amazon.
Stephen is married to Victoria, and they have a daughter, Beth, who is studying Geography at Durham.
Philip Walsh, Chairman of Friends of Real Lancashire said, “As honorary Poet Laureate for the Historic County of Lancashire and believed to be the first county poet laureate in the UK, Stephen will write three or four poems for us each year which we will gladly share in the media. We are delighted with Steve’s first poem “To Lancashire” and we look forward to working with him for the foreseeable future. The Committee felt that Lancastrians young or old would easily relate to his poems.”
Steve Williams said, “I am immensely proud to have been chosen to be the Poet Laureate for Historic Lancashire and I am excited to play my part in the excellent work done by its members on behalf of the people of this great part of the country.”
