I run poetry workshops in schools (infant, primary, junior, secondary, sixth form colleges), through art education (galleries, museums) and with adults (festivals, writing groups, prisons). If you are interested in organising a workshop, talk or performance, please contact me at mail@ashdickinson.com, or fill in the form on my contact page. I am happy to provide details of costs and potential lesson plans, and I can also tailor a workshop to any ideas you may wish to explore.

Nurturing imaginations and helping someone find their voice (I like my workshops to be interactive) is a great passion of mine. Creating a fun, relaxed environment allows this creativity to blossom. I’m a firm believer in the cathartic, therapeutic power of poetry. It’s a wonderful outlet for wellbeing and mental health.

I have been invited to showcase my workshops at secondary school heads of English conference in Hertfordshire, Devon, Cheshire, Hull and to the Rugby Group. My poetry workshops were a case study in the Bloomsbury-published classroom aid, ‘Making Poetry Happen’ (2015). I have been flown abroad to run workshops in international schools (Spain, Jordan, Germany, Denmark, Czech Republic, Netherlands); I was poet-in-residence for Coatbridge High School (2019-2021) and I am one of the most in-demand and rebooked poets in education. But don’t just take my word for it…

“It is amazing what new ideas, new perspectives and a new voice can do to really change what we think about poetry. I felt Ash’s workshops enlivened not only the pupils’ approach and understanding but teachers’ too. His encouragement, energy and engagement inspired us all” – Sandbach High School, Cheshire

“Ash’s poetry workshops were filled with creativity and positivity. It was wonderful to see quieter students share their work openly and freely. They basked in Ash’s positive feedback and flourished under his guidance. It was a wonderful day which has sparked a real fervour for poetry writing amongst our students. We look forward to welcoming Ash back next year!” – Prior’s Field School, Surrey

“What’s startling about Ash is the way he instantly engages an audience of teenagers and makes poetry cool. His energy wasn’t just in his own presentation- he engaged with the writing groups he set up and encouraged individual performance. Our students talked about him and poetry for days afterwards” – Eyemouth High School, Berwickshire

“Ash was amazing throughout the whole day. The children (and staff!) loved his whole school assembly in which he engaged everyone with his energetic style and witty poems. The workshops (from Reception to Year 6) were all different, interactive, and brilliantly planned. He inspired all the children (and some staff!) to write their own poems, and allowed everyone to interact and share their poetry, with Ash giving constructive and positive feedback. Ash is inspirational and so passionate about what he does- it is infectious, and we can’t wait for a further visit next year! He creates a buzz that brings poetry alive and makes it accessible for everyone – whatever their age or level. Thank you, Ash, it was an absolute pleasure to have you in our school” – St Catherine’s C of E Primary, Canvey Island, Essex

“Ash was inspirational- he has the ability to bring words to life. His poetry was both thought-provoking and humorous and he really caught the attention of pupils. They thoroughly enjoyed the workshops and the opportunity to put forward their own ideas. I have already recommended Ash to a couple of schools back in the UK”- International Community School, Amman, Jordan

“I wanted to relay the story of one student who was in the writing workshop in period 4. She has not been able to go into lessons all this year due to her difficulties coping with a classroom environment. After her session with you she has asked if she can start trying to go into some mainstream lessons- which we are going to try tomorrow. It was truly transformational stuff!” – email from Head of English, Melbourn Village College, Cambridgeshire

“We invited Ash to help revise multicultural poetry. Boring? Ash wasn’t. He led the students into subtle relationships with the poems, was a natural teacher and had an excellent rapport with the students” – Broadland High, Norfolk

“Ash took on board the text we were using (‘The Day The Crayons Quit’) and had completed his own self research. From the minute he arrived at our school, the children were hooked. He started the day with his own poetry, showing his talent and a great sense of humour. Ash helped the children create expressive poems and all talked highly about their workshop. Ash was very professional and communicated promptly prior to his visit. I would highly recommend him to any school that wants to celebrate a love of poetry and as an inspiring male poet” – Kings Cliffe Primary, Northamptonshire

“We had Ash into school to work on a project with S2 boys which aims to promote positive masculinity. The environment Ash created allowed the boys to fully engage with their creativity in a structured, focused way. The work the boys produced surprised all of us and they came away from the workshop feeling successful and challenged. Ash impressed us with his good humour, excellent resources, and supportive interpersonal skills. I would highly recommend him!” – Broughton High, Edinburgh

“Ash’s visit exceeded all expectations. His poems were entertaining, relatable, authentic and witty. After several emphatic readings, he introduced activities for the audience. Working with the entire school, his approach was well-thought out and tailored to a mix of nationalities” – European School Frankfurt, Germany

“Year 5 and 6 thoroughly enjoyed the workshops, finding them immensely beneficial for their poetry writing. Ash’s workshop had a remarkable impact on the students. In the days since his visit I’ve received five poems from different children in my class. They were all so inspired by Ash’s session that they took it upon themselves to write poems at home. It’s truly incredible! We would be thrilled to have Ash back again soon – Langstone Primary, Newport, Wales

“Ash launched our Book Week on poetry with a BANG! He is an inspirational speaker to children; enabling them to believe you can succeed in something you love. He inspired everyone, working with every year group from Nursery to Year 6- quite a skill to adapt to every age range and create such a buzz about poetry with them all. He also gave staff so many new and refreshing ideas for how to make poetry come to life. It was a memorable day for all, and we would highly recommend working with him” – Birkdale Primary, Merseyside

“Ash was an inspiration to staff and pupils alike. I will certainly be inviting Ash back- attitudes towards poetry need a good shake-up and Ash is the man for the job” – Reigate School, Surrey

“A wonderful morning opening young people’s eyes to poetry as a living, breathing, healthy accompaniment to life. The experience was really positive for all. We will definitely be seeing Ash again for a third visit! – St Alban’s High, Torfaen, Wales

“I just wanted to drop you an email to thank you so much for Ash Dickinson’s visit to school today. (Student) came out of school claiming to “have had the best day ever” and “not wanting school to end today”. He loved every minute of it” – email from a parent of a Year 8, Burgess Hill Academy, West Sussex, forwarded by the teacher

“Ash gave our school so much creativity in just one day, with perfectly pitched and personalised workshops, from our youngest in EYFS to Year 6. All the children experienced a moment of elation as they performed, practiced, and wrote their poems. A highlight for me was to see them in assembly with their mouths open in surprise as Ash performed his way through a variety of poems. So many parents, from all different year groups, have been in touch to show me their child’s poems that they went home towrite that day – what an inspiration he has been!” – East Farleigh Primary, Kent

“Everyone greatly enjoyed Ash- a week later and students are still talking about him. I even received several staff emails complimenting me on my choice of a visiting author this year!” – The English College In Prague, Prague, Czech Republic

“Ash was amazing from start to finish- he connected immediately with our children in a whole school assembly, before inspiring KS2 children in workshops. Children and adults loved his quirky style and humour, and staff and children were writing poetry long after he left. We cannot recommend him highly enough if you want to make poetry cool in your school!” – Netherfield Primary, Nottinghamshire

“One of the things we all missed during Covid was the ability to bring in outside voices in a meaningful way. So, it was really great to invite Ash into the school. I am sure that many of the S1 and S2s have never thought of being a professional poet, but they still found themselves caught up in the adventure. They wrote poetry, right there and then. To take non-poetic life forms and have them write poetry is quite something! Ash handled the groups expertly- we’ll be booking him again!” – Speyside High School, Moray

“I would heartily recommend Ash to any Special School- he has a special talent and a generous attitude; the students really warmed to him. The morning assembly was incredible- I’ve never seen a stampede or witnessed a wave of excitement spread across the assembly hall in quite that way!” – Falconer Special School, Hertfordshire

“The children, aged 6 to 13, were all so inspired, with parents telling us how many had gone home and continued to write poetry. Ash made a genre, that some find hard to access, come alive with wit, enthusiasm, and genuine love of poetry, performing and teaching” – Castle Court School, Dorset

“We welcomed Ash for a poetry workshop. The afternoon was enjoyed by all the boys who attended. Ash gave a good insight into his life as well as performing some of his great poems. We also had the opportunity to try some of Ash’s poetry techniques. The boys found this very informative. It was a great day. Thank you, Ash, from all the boys at Kilmarnock” – HMP Kilmarnock

“Ash delved into the subconscious of our eager students to help lift their words from the page and express them through colour and emotion. His witty performances and sassy style were a force to be reckoned with, andthoroughly enjoyed by staff and students alike!” – King’s College, Alicante, Spain

“Ash was funny, engaging and simply wonderful with our Year 2 children, inspiring them to create some amazing poetry. An excellent role model to motivate all children to become poets and love words.” – Ashfield Infants, Cumbria

“Ash accomplished the impossible…150 Year 8s and 80 Prep pupils were all inspired to write poetry and came out from their workshops buzzing with enthusiasm…no mean feat! Ash is inspirational and extremely cool; we couldn’t ask for more!” – Sullivan Upper, Holywood, Northern Ireland

“What’s great about Ash is that he gets kids, and he gets poetry. If you want a visiting poet that can entertain and educate and inspire all in one quirky package- get Ash” – Bradon Forest School, Wiltshire

“It was a pleasure watching Ash work with our children, who were captivated and engaged the whole time. The ease at which he guided the children through the creation of poetry produced some fantastic poems from all ages in the school. The highest accolade came from the children who said it was amazing and funny. They are so proud of their poems, and it has rejuvenated their interest in poetry.” – Hayocks Primary, North Ayrshire

“Ash’s visit to our grade 6 students was very inspiring. They heard about the importance of revision from a real writer, learned new types of poetry, and were inspired to write about things they hadn’t thought of before. The students really appreciated his visit and used what he taught them in their own writing, even weeks later. It was a great opportunity and we’re so glad we added the workshop to our poetry writing unit” – International School of Hellerup, Copenhagen, Denmark

“To present poetry to a large group of S2s, some of whom unashamedly said they didn’t like poetry, is no mean feat. To get them smiling and listening and scribbling their own poetry in such a short space of time was brilliant. Ash was engaging and encouraging and had an excellent rapport with students. Even the staff couldn’t wait to join in!” – St John’s Academy, Perth

“The assembly was brilliant, the kids laughing and clapping at the excellent delivery of Ash’s entertaining and clever poetry. The children worked diligently under his inspirational guidance. One girl glowed with pride about her beautiful poem and overcame nerves to perform it, with Ash’s enthusiasm and encouragement. Ash was excellent at making them believe they could do it and celebrating their successes with them. Do not hesitate to invite him into your school” – St Paul’s Primary, Warwickshire

“Pupils (and staff) were instantly engaged listening to Ash perform his brilliant poetry, before writing and sharing various poems of their own. These fun, interactive sessions inspired our pupils and really brought poetry alive. He turned the most reluctant writers into poets, gave them confidence, encouraged them to use and share their voices. Well-pitched, a good communicator, he was in touch with the kids and their interests. What more could we want? – Dornoch Academy, Highlands

“Ash’s poetry workshops were a very enjoyable experience for all. It was great for our students (and teachers!) to see and a hear a professional poet performing his work, and the creative element provided a wonderful opportunity for self-expression and the development of creativity” – St Conor’s College, Kilrea, Northern Ireland

“Ash came into our school with a unique burst of energy and talent that wowed both teachers and students alike. Refreshingly unconventional and a brilliant poet, Ash’s writing exercises invited participation and enthusiasm from even the quietest of students, boosting their confidence. A wonderful day of poetry and performance” – St Leonard’s, Fife

“Ash was definitely inspirational for both students and staff! In these challenging times he was able to zoom into 3 classrooms via Google Meet. After introducing himself and reciting some of his fantastic poetry, he discussed unseen poetry with the whole of Year 11. They were very engaged. He then offered insightful commentary on a poem and asked pupils for their interpretations. It was great to hear from someone other than their English teachers! We would like him to come back to work with our A level students too” – King’s College Murcia, Spain

“A tremendous hit with the pupils. A perfectly pitched practical in poetry! Extremely engaging, Ash inspires learners to play with words in creating their very own masterpieces while having fun at the same time!” – Loretto School, East Lothian

“Ash spent the day with us to celebrate National Poetry Day and I cannot recommend him highly enough! He captivated our Year 10 students in assembly first thing in the morning and continued to do so throughout the day with a range of different groups. Ash performed for a range of different abilities with skill and humour. He adapted and pitched his material perfectly. We had Year 8 boys spontaneously reciting their poems in form time and students in tears because they hadn’t managed to book on to the workshops! We can’t wait to welcome him back again” – Hartismere School, Suffolk

“Ash’s visit was an absolute pleasure. He quickly established an excellent rapport with a wide range of pupils (from S2 to S6) who responded very positively to his poetry, his energy and engaging style. His words and ideas were thought-provoking and often truly funny. We would not hesitate to have him back again.” – Dollar Academy, Clackmannanshire

“Ash inspired us poetically from an assembly through a day of workshops. He delivered a balance between inspiration and structure. He had a range of activities to get students started, adjusting his material to suit the group and treated students from a wide range of backgrounds with respect and enthusiasm” – International Community School, London

“Ash enabled the Year 10 and 11 students to see poetry in a new light during GCSE revision sessions, and they particularly enjoyed hearing excerpts of his own poetry. The staff all enjoyed it too!” – Academy@Worden, Lancashire

“Ash inspired the students with a very interactive workshop where every single student was really introduced to writing poetry. With his humorous and lively language, he made verse accessible to the students and aroused their interest in the very own language of poetry” – European School Rhein-Main, Germany

“Ash was funny, engaging, relevant and worked really well with the P5-P7 pupils. He was encouraging and motivating, and his workshop was fast-paced and really grabbed the pupils’ attention. A lot achieved in a short space of time!” – Castlemilk Primary, Glasgow

“A really energising day, pupils of all ages engaging, creating and sharing their own work. Ash facilitated a wealth of ideas through his lively poetry performances and also by offering the students a whole range of interactive tasks; he encouraged us all to play with words to find both fun and meaning at the heart of poetry. Many thanks to Ash- it was a great day!” – Our Lady Of Sion, Worthing, West Sussex

“Our P1s loved working with Ash. He engaged them in animated and lively poetry recitals, and they loved creating their own poem. The visit was an excellent way for our children to play with words and work with a poet who valued all their creative ideas” – Leith Walk Primary, Edinburgh

“Our poetry day with Ash was bursting with energy and creativity. The whole school was treated to dramatic poetry recitals and every child was given the opportunity to explore poetry writing at a level pitched perfectly for them. I would certainly recommend Ash to visit your school to inspire and motivate both pupils and staff with creative writing” – Tockwith Primary Academy, North Yorkshire

“Ash inspired our Year 6 pupils to write a poem linked to our context for learning. He tailored the entire session to the theme, initially engaging the children in a terrific performance of his own poetry which hooked all 75 children, then running three interactive and stimulating workshops. His enthusiasm, professionalism and preparation was clear, allowing the class teachers to carry on the fantastic foundations that he laid. Excited and enthused by his visit, children were asking when we would be coming back. We look forward to welcoming Ash again to inspire future pupils!” – Charles Williams Church In Wales Primary, Newport, Wales

“Ash’s passion for poetry and his desire and ability to inspire young people to share this passion was evident during his visit. Working with our S2 (some quite shy, some sceptical in their ability to write poetry), Ash ensured all the class left loving poetry. With his encouragement, pupils wrote and performed poems with confidence and were laughing and smiling throughout the session. Many pupils left stating ‘I didn’t know I could write poetry’.” – Coatbridge High, North Lanarkshire