About the event

As part of the 'Reuniting Sydenham Hill Wood and Dulwich Wood' project, you’re invited to our annual Woodland Festival - a day to leaf your worries behind and celebrate these much-loved woods, their wildlife, and the local community that helps them thrive. There’ll be tree-mendous live music, walks, crafty activities, buzzing stalls and plenty of art to branch out into. Whether you’re here to soak up the forest vibes, discover hidden wildlife, or just enjoy a day out under the canopy, there’s something for everyone.

Come along and let’s make it an un-be-leaf-able day in the woods together! 🌳✨

In this creative writing workshop - led by local poet Helen BowelI - inspired by our surroundings, we’ll use our senses, memories, dreams, quotations, facts and happenstance to create poems that reflect our true relationship with the landscape, in our individual voices. We’ll explore the zuihitsu poetic form and how it’s being used by contemporary poets, and learn new techniques for writing and editing. This is a workshop open to anyone, whether you have a deep relationship with the woods, or you’ve never been before.

Please note: This is 1 of 2 of this workshop. This 12pm event is open to all ages and the event at 2pm is for 16-25 year olds only.

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Who can come: This 12pm event is open to all ages, while the event at 2pm is for 16-25 year olds only. Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a responsible adult throughout this session.

What to expect:

🪵 Location: Held in a peaceful spot within the wood

🧺 Supplies provided: Picnic blankets, chairs, pens, paper & clipboards

✍️ Guided support: Step-by-step help in crafting your poem

🍃 Theme: Woodland and nature connection

🌟 Outcome: Create a personal piece inspired by Sydenham Hill and Dulwich Woods

Find out more about your facilitator...

Helen Bowell is a poet, producer and editor. Her debut pamphlet The Barman (Bad Betty Press, 2022) was a Poetry Book Society Choice. Her poems, reviews and translations have been published in bath magg, Poetry London, The Poetry Review, Poetry Wales and elsewhere. She co-directs Dead [Women] Poets Society, which resurrects women poets through events and online, and co-guest-edited Modern Poetry in Translation's Autumn 2020 focus on dead women poets. Helen ran Bi+ Lines, a project for bi+ poets, and edited the first anthology of bi+ poets (fourteen poems, 2023). She produced the Poetry Translation Centre's 20th birthday programme of events in 2024. She has run workshops on nature, community, home and more for organisations like the Royal Society of Literature, Spread the Word and The Writing Squad.

The delivery of the 'Reuniting Sydenham Hill Wood and Dulwich Wood' project is made possible by our funders and partners: The National Lottery Heritage Fund, The Dulwich Estate, Southwark Council, The Kusuma Trust, Black Girls Hike, and Wanderers of Colour. This funding and these partnerships help to secure the future of the woods by bringing together the management of Sydenham Hill Wood and Dulwich Wood under London Wildlife Trust.