Mel Wardle Woodend is Staffordshire Poet Laureate 2019-2022. She is a performance and published poet, who has written eight poetry books to date, including two dyslexia friendly children’s poetry books, her nature collection Natural Colours (2017), mental health collection Just a Thought (2019), and Thirty (2020) created during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown during the spring of 2020, and inspired by the daily prompts from National / Global Poetry Writing Month in April 2020.
In 2018, Mel published a full-length children’s story book; Tails of a Little Brown Mouse. She edited and compiled The Friendship Collection; a set of anthologies comprising children’s stories, poetry, and short stories and young adult fiction, as well as two charity poetry anthologies for There Is No Planet B Stafford in 2018, and 2019 respectively. She has since published charity poetry anthologies: One Hundred Memories (2019) in aid of Alzheimer's Society, Poetic Vision (2020) in support of The Guide Dogs for the Blind, and Purrfect Poems (2020) in support of Cats Protection, through her dyslexia friendly small press Dream Well Writing Ltd.
Her poetry collection Just a Thought will be published in May 2019. Mel hopes this collection, which focuses on mental health issues and awareness, will connect with and provide a positive reading experience for many.
Mel is one half of spoken word event WORD Stafford and organises and participates in poetry slams and spoken word events including storytelling, poetry film events and competitions, and poetry events to support awareness raising days and initiatives both nationally and globally. Mel additionally facilitates poetry workshops in schools and libraries around Staffordshire and the West Midlands.
'Mel is a fantastic person and is a great tutor for my 8 year old daughter. My daughter is dyslexic and really struggles with reading and writing. Since Mel has been with us, my daughter has really enjoyed Mel’s visits and it has been a pleasure to listen to my daughter recite the poems Mel has got her interested in and also create her own ones. Fantastic tutor and more importantly she is a lovely person.'
English Tuition Review 2019
Reviews
'Mel writes from the heart resulting in poems that are refreshing and often particularly in tune with the natural world. She has a gift for enabling others to appreciate poetry and acquire the confidence and skills to write their own. Her enthusiasm has ensured poetry events in the local area have been a great success. Her endeavours have included very successful anthologies focusing on ‘green’ issues.'
Poetry Workshop Review 2019
'Mel has been the driving force behind a vibrant burgeoning poetry scene in the Stafford area. She has managed to succeed where others have struggled through the time and energy she devotes to encouraging people of all levels, interests and abilities to engage and participate in events aimed at making poetry accessible.'
Poetry Events Review 2019