ReadFest 2026: Poetry Writing Class with Mab Jones
Build your skills and confidence with guidance on poetry basics and idea development – whether for personal enjoyment or competitions.
NB: You can also book to join online.
If you’re just beginning to explore poetry and want to build your skills and confidence, these sessions are perfect for you. Learn the fundamentals and receive guidance on how to shape your ideas and develop your poetry writing style – whether you’re writing for personal enjoyment or aiming to enter poetry competitions.
Our poetry classes welcome participants of all levels, from complete beginners to published poets, you can join at any point of the course.
Please note there is a supporting Google Classroom for this course and the direct link to join can be found in confirmation email under the Additional information section.
If you have any accessibility requirements, please directly get in touch with us at pentoprint@lbbd.gov.uk
If you are not sure if this class is for you or would like more information, please contact us to discuss. Ask the organiser or email: pentoprint@lbbd.gov.uk
NB: To make the most of the Poetry Writing Classes, please ensure that you book your place and that you are prepared to attend all the available sessions, there are 11 monthly sessions in total from September 2026 to July 2027.
Tickets will be released in three-month blocks for the remaining dates:
- 10 October 2026
- 7 November 2026
- 5 December 2026
- 9 January 2027
- 6 February 2027
- 6 March 2027
- 10 April 2027
- 8 May 2027
- 5 June 2027
- 3 July 2027
Booking is essential and you will be asked to present your booking confirmation upon arrival.
Pen to Print and our partners reserve the right to remove participants who are disruptive to a session.
Pen to Print and our partners reserve the right to unenroll a participant from a course and explore an alternative approach to supporting them on their writing journey, if we feel that a class is unsuitable for that participant.
NB: May feature content that some people may find upsetting, uses language or depicts scenes reflecting attitudes that are no longer seen as acceptable.
Pen to Print shall not be liable to attendees for any injury, loss or damage of or to personal equipment belonging to the attendees or any indirect or consequential loss or damage whatsoever arising out of the attendance of the event
Pen to Print reserves the right to cancel, delay or postpone the event for any reason, including adverse weather conditions, an emergency situation or unforeseen or unavoidable circumstances out of its reasonable control. In such cases, the event organiser will endeavour to inform participants as quickly as is possible.
Barking and Dagenham Libraries and Pen to Print are proud to present the fifteenth annual literary festival, running from Saturday 12 September to Saturday 19 September.
This year’s festival offers a vibrant mix of in‑person, online and hybrid events, celebrating the power of storytelling and the joy of reading, as part of our contribution to the National Year of Reading.
This festival is proudly supported by the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham and Arts Council England, funded by the UK Government.
The National Year of Reading 2026 is a UK-wide campaign designed to inspire people to make reading a regular part of their lives.
We all understand the benefits of reading and how it expands our minds, builds confidence and fuels creativity, yet fewer people are doing it. With growing distractions and limited time, reading for pleasure is declining across many groups.
This national campaign aims to change this by reconnecting reading with everyday culture. It is not about guilt or obligation, it is about showing that stories, ideas and imagination have a place in everyone’s daily life. Click here to find out more!
