By combining poetry and football, the 'A Poem for Your Club' initiative hopes to reverse the trend and make writing a pleasure as unifying as a championship match. Photo: AFP
Almost all football fans know the anthem of their favourite team. But for the supporters of five English clubs, they will have to add a new element to their repertoire: a poem in honour of their club. An unprecedented initiative that combines football and poetry to boost interest in reading and writing among young people.
Crystal Palace, Blackburn Rovers, Stoke City, Luton Town and Portsmouth are taking part in "A Poem for Your Club,” an initiative launched by the National Literacy Trust and Arts Council England, the public body that funds cultural organizations in Britain.
The idea behind the programme is that each club collaborates with a professional poet to run writing workshops where fans write an official poem celebrating the history and spirit of their team.
Naz Knight will work with Luton Town FC fans, while David Swann will collaborate with Blackburn Rovers fans. Alan Barrett will be writing with Stoke City fans, and Dan Simpson, a big Crystal Palace fan, will share his enthusiasm for poetry and the beautiful game with fans of his favourite club.
The initiative, funded by the Compton Poetry Fund, aims to transform the excitement surrounding football into a driving force for literary inspiration. A venture that is especially compelling given that the five clubs involved are rooted in neighbourhoods where cultural investment has long been lacking.
Jim Sells, head of the Sport and Alternative Education programme at the National Literacy Trust, emphasises its importance.
"We know that sport can be a great motivator for inspiring reluctant or disengaged children and young people to get involved with writing,” he told the Guardian.
Reconnecting young people with literature
This initiative is part of a broader drive by the National Literacy Trust, which has been working with the Premier League for 20 years to promote learning to write through football.
The "Premier League Primary Stars” programme already offers schoolchildren sports-inspired exercises, such as writing match reports or creating persuasive speeches.
Finding new ways to encourage young people to read and write is a priority for the National Literacy Trust. But it remains a major challenge.
Last October, the organisation published the results of its latest national survey, "Children, Young People and Poetry in 2024,” which shows a decline in the interest of young Britons in poetry. Barely 48.8% of 8-16 year olds read or write poetry in one form or another. This means that more than half of children and teenagers in Britain are missing out on the benefits of this art form.
By combining poetry and football, "A Poem for Your Club” hopes to reverse the trend and make writing a pleasure as unifying as a championship match.
By the summer, each club will have its official poem, composed by its own supporters and displayed in the stadiums. An original way to celebrate the identity of the teams while offering young people one more reason to pick up a pen. - AFP
