ONE of the UK’s beloved authors has said she is ‘delighted’ to be heading Ilminster’s Warehouse Theatre to serve as the opening act for the up-coming literary festival.

Alison Brackenbury has had a multitude of published poems and received praise from the likes of Gillian Clarke, former National Poet of Wales.

She is currently touring with her new poetry anthology titled Gallop, and will be performing at the theatre, as well as inviting other people to share their work.

Alison said: “My ten poetry collections and many radio broadcasts spring from a varied life. I grew up in a remote village, a descendant of servants and skilled farm workers.

“I won a scholarship to study English at Oxford, but later worked for decades – in a boiler suit – in industry, in her husband’s metal finishing business.

“In between, we had a daughter, kept at least one unaffordable shaggy pony on the Gloucestershire hills, and far too many cats. Somehow, the poems got written.”

Recently, Alison made six appearances on Radio 4 in nine months.

Her latest radio programme, ‘Aunt Margaret’s Pudding’, with poems about her grandmother’s recipes, became one of the ingredients of Radio 4’s ‘Pick of the Week’.

Alison’s work has appeared in dozens of magazines and almost a hundred anthologies.

Her poems are often direct, and humorous. She admits to being addicted to rhyme.

Gillian Clarke, the former National Poet of Wales, wrote in praise of her work: ‘Alison Brackenbury loves, lives, hymns and rhymes the natural world and its people like no other poet.’

She added: “I am delighted to be appearing at the Ilminster Literary Festival, on Tuesday, May 28.”

Her event, Poetry Corner, takes place in the Warehouse Theatre Foyer from 10am to 12.30pm.

Alison will perform her poetry and answer questions, and there will be bargain copies for sale of ‘Gallop’, her brand-new selected poems.

The audience will then be invited to read and talk about their own or their favourite poetry.

Coffee and tea will be available. No ticket is needed.

If you are interested, phone Brenda Lake on 01460 419731, or Celia Crookes on 01460 394770, or 07976 387326.

For more information, including a full event schedule, visit ilminsterliteraryfestival.co.uk.