Poetry Magazines - The best collection of poetry magazines online - Simon Armitage

Oxfam has produced a CD of poems by many of Britain’s top poets. Simon Armitage, Andrew Motion, Carol Ann Duffy, Dannie Abse, Fleur Adcock, Jo Shapcott, Benjamin Zephaniah, Roger McGough, Sophie Hannah, Esther Morgan and Mario Petrucci are among 69 big-name poets who got together to record their work over one day. Life-Lines: Poets for Oxfam is on sale at £4.99
in Oxfam stores with all funds raised going towards Oxfam’s work to overcome poverty and suffering around the world. The CD will be reviewed in the next edition of iota.

The Challenging Poverty National Poetry Competition - closing date: January 27. Details: http://www.challengingpoverty.org/ or sae to The Church Urban Fund, Church House, Great Smith Street. London SW1P 3NZ.

Competitions Bulletin - aims to provide comprehensive information about all UK writing competitions and an increasing number from abroad. Download subs form at www.cherrybite.co.uk

Southport Writers’ Circle Open Short Story Competition - closing date: October 31. Details: sae to 16 Ormond Avenue, Westhead, Lancashire L40 6HT.

Happenstance Press published a pamphlet collection by Gill McEvoy (who has a poem in this edition of iota - p. 51) this summer.

Border Poets are staging a series of poetry readings by small press poets at Tullie House, Carlisle. Chris Pilling and two other Shoestring Press poets read on Friday, October 6. John Lucas and David Tipton read from their Sow’s Ear Press collections on Friday, November 10 and Robin Ford and two other Arrowhead Press poets feature on Friday, December 1. Readings start at 8pm
and admission is £3.

Stratford-on-Avon Writers’ Festival - September 29 - October 1. Workshops,discussions, open mic events. Tel: 01789 299524 or write to Vincent Lodge, Percy Street, Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 6AL.

Ilkley Literature Festival - September 29 - October 15. Tel: 01943 816714
http://www.ilkleyliteraturefestival.org.uk/

Chester Literature Festival - October 2 - 27. Tel: 01244 674020 www.chester-literature-festival.org.uk

Orange Birmingham Book Festival - October 5 - 10. Tel: 0121 246 2770  www.orangebirminghambookfestival.org

Warwick Words Festival of Literature and Spoken Word - October 5 - 8. Tel: 01926 776438 www.warwicklive.com

The Times Cheltenham Literature Festival - October 6 - 15. Tel: 01242 227979 www.cheltenhamfestivals.com

Mere Literary Festival - October 9 - 15. Tel: 01747 860475
www.merewilts.org.uk

Canterbury Festival - October 12 - 18. Tel: 01227 452853
www.canterburyfestival.co.uk

Wells Festival of Literature - October 13 - 20. Tel: 01934 741167 www.somersite.co.uk

Off the Shelf Festival of Writing and Reading (Sheffield) - October 14 - 28. Tel: 0114 273 4400 www.offtheshelf.org.uk

Guildford Book Festival - October 16 - 28. Tel: 01483 444334
www.guildfordbookfestival.co.uk

Belfast Festival - October 19 - November 4. Tel: 028 9097 1197
www.belfastfestival.com

Dylan Thomas Festival (Swansea) - October 27 - November 9.
Tel: 01792 463988 www.dylanthomas.org

Manchester Literature Festival - October. Tel: 0161 236 5725
www.manchesterpoetryfestival.co.uk

Aldeburgh Poetry Festival - November 3 - 5. Tel: 01728 687110
www.thepoetrytrust.org

Ways With Words (Suffolk) - November 9 - 13. Tel: 01803 867373 www.wayswithwords.co.uk

Wordzwork Wales Festival of Writing (West Wales) - November 18. Tel: 01559 370969 www.wordzworkwales.biz