Poetry needed for High Toynton Festival

High Toynton’s St John the Baptist church.

Poets, who do know it, are invited to share their best work as part of a fundraising church appeal.

In 2020, High Toynton Church’s tower dramatically collapsed, and last year, the church committee was awarded a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Foundation to rebuild the church, which is due to start on August 14.

The restoration project will see the church restored as a Community Space to host cultural events and workshops, as well as being a hub for local village history.

High Toynton Festival is scheduled to take place over September 9 and 10 and, as part of the events planned, the church committee are running a Poetry Contest where people are being asked to write something along the lines of "Collapse and Renewal".

Spokesman Alison Bell explained: “Because we are a laid back and fun loving village, the emphasis will be not so much on the competition aspect but more on sharing ideas and inspiration with a few dollops of optional humour!

"We would actually love people to turn up and declaim their poem in person to the assembled crowd, if they would feel happy to do so.”

Entries will be printed into a booklet and displayed on High Toynton’s website following the festival, and can be submitted to Alison by emailing [email protected].