Ironbridge Poetry Slam Winners Event

Winners of the Ironbridge Poetry Slam live at Dawley Town Hall

Brenda Read-Brown
In 2001, Brenda Read-Brown gave up a secure career as a project manager to be a poet; it seemed a good idea at the time. Since then she’s won many poetry slams, and performed her poetry on Radio 4, and in Texas, Denmark, the House of Lords, lots of festivals, and any number of low dives. She was Gloucestershire Poet Laureate from 2012 – 2019, and has published two collections of her poems: Arbitrary edges (2013), and Like love (2018). Recently she has been touring her show But I haven’t finished yet! She’s also a prizewinning playwright, but she says she gets her greatest rewards by helping other people find their words.

Shakquille
Shakquille is a spoken word poet who has worked with platforms such as; Hockley Hustle, I Am Loud, We don’t settle, Sofar Sounds & We Out Here Festival as well as many more. Showcasing his work which has been described as capturing, warm & rhythmical.

John Woodall
John was the Wolverhampton Literature Festival Poetry Slam Champion in 2022, the Whitchurch Poetry Slam Champion and the Ironbridge Poetry Slam Champion in 2023, and the Cheltenham Poetry Slam Champion in 2024.
He has two prize winning poems in Ten Poems from Welshpool published by Candlestick Press 2023.
He came second in the Wolverhampton Literature Festival Poetry Competition 2025.
John’s poetry pamphlet This Is Just To Say is available from the Offa’s Press shop.