Following a successful pilot session last year, Oxford Poetry Library (OPL) have put together this series of free workshops designed to help kids reconnect with the natural world. The workshops are inspired by The Lost Words, a collection of acrostic poems about nature by poet Robert MacFarlane and illustrator Jackie Morris, which was written in response to words like 'acorn' and 'otter' being omitted from the Oxford Junior Dictionary because they were falling out of use.
Each session will focus on a different theme, introduced by a nature expert: the first one, on birds, will be led by local nature walk leader and ornithology enthusiast Nick Boyd. After a talk on how to look out for the kinds of wildlife they can expect to meet, participants will head out to explore the park, with their discoveries serving as inspiration for writing acrostic poems, with the help of OPL’s Phoebe Nicholson. You can sign up to one, some, or all of the sessions – though they are very popular (with February’s already having a waiting list) so do plan ahead!
