Pubs, poems, positivity: Publicans help to spread cheer across the region with heartwarming poem by SW poet

Despite their pubs being currently closed, many publicans across the South West are spreading some cheer to people in their local communities, during these challenging times, by sharing a heartwarming poem about pubs written and performed by a poet from Bristol.

The poem, which has been specially commissioned for pubs in the South West by arts project INN CROWD, is called ‘The Best Ones’, which has been written and performed by poet Malaika Kegode, who grew up in Devon. Her poem is part of a national campaign called ‘Winter Warmers’ that aims to help bring some cheer and hope to publicans, their staff and their local communities and help keep people connected during this difficult start to 2021 with this current lockdown. 

Poem to “pull people back to pubs”

Malaika, whose previous work includes writing and performing a theatre show for Bristol Old Vic (Outlier) and poetry books including ‘Requite’, published by Burning Eye Books, said: “My poem is about connection - connection to people, to place and to feeling. I hope my poem reminds people of those nights with special people in their favourite, secret pub and pulls them back into those places as soon as they can.” 

Watch Malaika perform ‘The Best Ones’ and enjoy all the poems in the ‘Winter Warmers’ collection here: https://inncrowd.org.uk/2021/01/13/malaika-kegode-the-best-ones/

Her poem is part of a national collection of seven individual poems about pubs in the ‘Winter Warmers’ campaign, written by poets from six regions across England.

Postcards of positivity

Many publicans across the region are taking part in ‘Winter Warmers’ by sharing Malaika’s poem on social media and on posters outside their pubs. Selected pubs in Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Wiltshire, Dorset and Gloucestershire, are also sharing postcards featuring the poem with people in their local communities. They are using the postcards to help keep them connected with their locals by putting them in customers’ takeaway bags and food boxes or writing cheery notes on them to post through the doors of people who may be struggling.

The ‘Winter Warmers’ campaign has been created by Pub is The Hub, the not-for-profit independent organisation that offers specialist advice on the diversification of services at rural pubs and ways publicans can support their local communities, and INN CROWD, which works with pubs to provide them access to professional live literature, which is specially commissioned for pub audiences.

Praise for resilient publicans

A ‘National Poem of Thanks to Our Nation’s Publicans’ has also been released, as part of the campaign, to thank publicans and their staff for their resilience and continuing support of their local communities during the Covid-19 pandemic.

During this current lockdown many pubs have again been offering essential services to people in their local communities, including phone support to those at risk of loneliness, pop up grocery shops, takeaway and delivery food, including meals for the elderly and those financially stretched.

The poem is called ‘The Public House’ and has been written and performed by poet and actress Alexandra Ewing, the daughter of a former publican. 

Watch the poem here: https://inncrowd.org.uk/2021/01/13/alexandra-ewing-the-public-house-rumbles/

John Longden, chief executive of Pub is The Hub, said: “Despite the huge worries and challenges to their businesses that publicans have faced since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, and continue to endure with this current lockdown, they and their teams have worked tirelessly and selflessly to help support others and keep them safe. We all wanted to do something to say a special thank you and recognise their efforts.”

Positive collaboration of arts and pubs

The ‘Winter Warmers’ campaign sees two industries, pubs and the arts, which are among the sectors most detrimentally impacted by the pandemic, join forces in a positive collaboration.

INN CROWD’s Dawn Badland said: “These two sectors, which have been among the hardest hit in this pandemic, make an invaluable contribution to our society, and it is brilliant to be able to come together with Pub is The Hub to do something positive for the publicans and artists working in them.”