Wandering Words Poetry Trail
Take to the streets this July with Wandering Words — a new poetry trail weaving through Saltaire and Shipley, curated by Rhubarb Writers. From 7th to 28th July, visitors can discover 25 poems displayed in shop windows and public spaces, each one a window into lives lived and imagined through the theme of “roots and routes.”
Selected from over 120 competition entries by adults, teens and children, the featured poems invite readers to see Shipley through fresh eyes — through memory, migration, heritage, and imagination.
This project is part of Bradford’s UK City of Culture celebrations.
Keep scrolling for the trail map, list of venues and competition winners!
Trail venues & competition winners
Congratulations to our poetry competition winners!
Below are the 25 winning poets and the locations where their work is featured on the poetry trail. The numbers correspond to stops on the trail map, not rankings — each poem is a winner in its own right. We hope you enjoy discovering them as much as we did!
1. Giddy Arts
The House at Milner Field, by Emma Storr
2. Radstudio
Saltaire, by Lilith Napolitano
3. Salts Village Bakery
Parkin, by Bex Hainsworth
4. Cultures
Following the Heron Home, by Alison Milner
5. The Quaffery
To the Quaffery Chameleon, by Emily Noble
6. Bistro 56
There Are No Roads Here, by Eileen Neil
7. The Olive Cafe
The Olive Cafe, by Mandy Toczek McPeake
8. Tambourine Coffee
Sunrise, by Tim Brookes
9. The Yorkshire Fleabag
Red Flower, by Aaminah Naveed
10. The Triangle
Triangle to Triangle, by Kathy Bramley
11. The Kirkgate Centre
If Shipley Was..., by Titus Salt School
12. MI & Co The Portrait Studio
Home Is..., by Aaminah Mahmood
13. Shipley Library
Home Is..., by Kohen
14. OPA Living
Home Is..., by H.S.
15. Christopher Brown Jewellers
Carrying Elsie, by Kate Metcalfe
16. The Little Stationery Shop
Home Is..., by Ruby Layode
17. The Bothy
The Seed That Travelled, by Eiprila Steina
18. UpCycle Bikery
Saturday 11th May 1985, by Malcolm Henshall
19. Shipley Market Cafe
Speak Your Roots, by Rachel Claire
20. Cakes to Please
Sweet Tooth, by Leia Young
21. Acropolis
Learning to Stay, by Nigeen Dara
22. Gaffé
Heaven and Earth, by Alex Grehy
23. The Drop of Ink
Returning To Your Hometown, It’s Smaller Than I Remembered, by Susan Darlington
24. S & H Carpets
Old Stones, Deep Waters, by Omage Rachael Oluwadamilola
25. The Old Library, Wrose
The Hermit Crab, by Barsa Ray
Free writing resources
You can still browse or download the free writing resources from the competition.
