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A Place for Poetry: The Surrey Poet Laureateship Finds a Home at the Egham Literary Institute
- Surrey Poet Laureateship
- Jun 14
- 5 min read
Surrey’s poetry scene takes a monumental leap forward as The Surrey Poet Laureateship celebrates a new chapter at the historic Egham Literary Institute.
The Surrey Poet Laureateship has officially found a home—and what a home it is. On June 7th, poets, performers, and supporters of the arts gathered for "A Place for Poetry", an open day held to mark the Laureateship’s move into its new base at the Egham Literary Institute.
This moment is more than just symbolic. For the first time since its inception, The Surrey Poet Laureateship—known for its groundbreaking countywide outreach—now has a dedicated space to create, collaborate, and grow. Thanks to the generosity of the Egham Literary Institute, the Laureateship has been offered a permanent room to work from, marking a powerful new chapter for poetry in Surrey.
A Celebration of Surrey’s Poetic Community
The open day was a resounding success, packed with activity from 10am to 5pm. Workshops, an all-day open mic, and two beautifully curated ceremonies bookended the celebration. Poets from across the county and beyond came together to make this day truly unforgettable.
The morning kicked off with an opening ceremony, attended by the Mayoress of Runnymede, Councillor Margaret Harnden, who gave a warm speech celebrating the Laureateship’s move into the borough. She not only welcomed the initiative but also delighted the audience with a poem written especially for the occasion, shared at the closing ceremony later that day.
Throughout the day, the space was alive with poetic energy. Attendees took part in workshops led by Adam Gary, the inaugural Surrey Poet Laureate and Founder of the Laureateship. In an adjacent room, Kieran Edwards Hocking ran a vibrant all-day open mic, giving dozens of poets a platform to share their work.
The open day event at the Egham literary institute was a monumental success. From poets sharing their voices for the first time, to seasoned veterans wowing everybody with their wonderful words - this day was filled to the brim with literary action!
Kieran commented.
Being provided with the opportunity to host the all day open mic and run a performance workshop was an absolute honor and I am forever grateful to be a part of the Surrey Poet Laureateship.
The event also featured a compelling talk by Brian Perry, who shared the remarkable history of the Egham Literary Institute, concluding his speech with a cheeky nod to England’s football chant:
"Poetry is coming home—even though football never does."
Bringing Poets Together: A Vision Realised
For Adam Gary, the day was nothing short of a dream come true.
“It was everything I had hoped it would be,” he said. “By the time I got home I’d been going for 11 hours, but absolutely worth it. There was a moment during one of my workshops where I just stood there in awe that we had brought an entire room of poets together. Many from my Woking and Staines hubs, two visitors from Brunel University, and so many new faces too!”
He continued:
“This was exactly my vision for the Laureateship—to bring poets from all over Surrey together in one room to celebrate the art form and this wonderful county. It couldn’t have gone any better. A big thank you to the Egham Literary Institute—they are the perfect partners in this mission.”
Adam also extended heartfelt thanks to Kieran Edwards Hocking and Alex Grehy for their support in running the day:
“I can’t thank Kieran and Alex enough for giving up their day to help make it happen.”
Alex Grehy said:
It was exciting to be immersed in poetry for a whole day. I stayed in the all-day open mic and was especially thrilled to see first timers read their work in a kind and supportive environment. There was such a creative energy in the room and the poetry never stopped flowing. A truly inspiring event.
A Star-Studded Surrey Poetry Line-Up
The closing ceremony featured a stellar lineup of local favourites and rising stars in the Surrey poetry scene:
Robert Garnham, who grew up in the area and hadn’t been back to Egham in thirty years, returned to perform in a touching full-circle moment.
It was an honour to be asked to perform at such a well organised and fun event celebrating poetry. It was especially so to be invited back to my 'home town '! Adam curated a lovely and enthusiastic day which it was an immense pleasure to be a part of'.
Alex Grehy, a beloved voice in Surrey’s poetry community, shared a new piece to great applause.
Estelle Banks, poet-in-residence at Royal Holloway’s Physics Department, brought her unique perspective and energy.
Kieran Edwards Hocking, who also ran a performance workshop earlier in the day, performed a powerful set that closed the event on a high.
A Launchpad for the Future of Poetry in Surrey
The move to the Egham Literary Institute represents a transformational step for The Surrey Poet Laureateship. With a base of operations, the team can now expand programming, develop new events, and deepen their community engagement across the county.
This new home is more than a room—it’s a launchpad for collaboration, a creative hub, and a space to grow a countywide community of poets.
A new calendar of events and programmes based out of the Institute will be announced shortly, and the Laureateship encourages everyone in Surrey—whether you’re a seasoned writer or just poetry-curious—to get involved.
Get Involved
Want to be part of Surrey’s growing poetry movement?
Follow The Surrey Poet Laureateship online, sign up for events, or pop into one of their regular poetry hubs happening across the county. And now, with a permanent base in Egham, there’s never been a better time to discover the power of poetry, right on your doorstep.
Visit www.surreypoetlaureateship.org/events or follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates.
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