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Hospital Worker Becomes City's Poet Laureate
3 Jan
Summary
- Steven Beattie, hospital worker, appointed city's next poet laureate.
- Poetry writing helped Beattie manage anxiety during the pandemic.
- He will serve a two-year term starting in May.
Steven Beattie, an assistant theatre practitioner at Royal Stoke Hospital, has been named the next poet laureate for the city. This significant appointment comes after he turned to writing poetry as a way to cope with anxiety experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic. Beattie's two-year term is set to commence in May.
Beattie, aged 41 and residing in Bradeley, Staffordshire, received a specially crafted ceramic plate from the Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent, Steve Watkins, to commemorate this honor. While he has a history of creative writing dating back to his school days, the pandemic significantly deepened his poetic expression.
His journey from the hospital setting to a prominent literary role highlights the profound impact creative outlets can have on mental well-being. This appointment celebrates not only his talent but also his resilience and his unique path to becoming the city's voice in poetry.
