Are you aged 50+ and of Caribbean heritage? Do you have stories about food, gardening, migration, or family traditions that you’d love to share?

As part of the Mouth Mek Fi Nyam Windrush Project—itself part of the Lewisham, Borough of Literature Campaign—we’re inviting Caribbean adults to join a series of creative gardening and poetry workshops exploring how culture, memory, and identity are preserved through cooking and gardening.

Gardening Workshops

Led by Coco Collective, the gardening workshops will take place at their Ital Garden at the black gate next to 71 Firhill Road, SE6 3SE, from 1-3pm on:

• Wednesday 2 July
• Wednesday 6 August

No previous gardening experience is needed.

The Ital Garden is a Black-led community garden growing Afro heritage foods.

Oral History Event

The oral history event will take place at Catford Library 22 June, from 2 -4pm. Come along to speak with award-winning writers Leone Ross and Joan Anim-Addo. Leone and Joan will listen to you and each write a short story inspired by your stories. The session will be paired with free Caribbean food.

Poetry Workshops

The poetry workshops will be led by award winning Caribbean poets Courtney Conrad and Keith Jarrett, who will support you in shaping your personal experiences into poems that will be published in an anthology.

Keith Jarrett is a London-based poet, fiction writer, and educator known for his work on identity, race, and sexuality. He is a former UK Poetry Slam Champion and International Slam Champion (2014). Jarrett’s poetry has been published in his debut pamphlet I Speak Home (2015) and his full-length collection Selah (2017). He is also a playwright and performer, with his play Safest Spot in Town being featured on BBC Four.

Courtney Conrad is a Jamaican poet. Her debut pamphlet I Am Evidence is published by Bloodaxe Books. She is a winner of the Eric Gregory Award, Michael Marks Award, Bridport Prize Young Writers Award and Mslexia Women’s Pamphlet Prize. She is currently a Cave Canem fellow and an alumna of The London Library Emerging Writers Programme, Malika’s Poetry Kitchen, Barbican Young Poets, Obsidian Foundation Fellow, Out-Spoken Press Emerging Poets Development Scheme and Roundhouse Poetry Collective.

Poetry workshops will take place on the following dates at the Albany in Deptford, from 1-2pm:

• Thursday 3 July
• Wednesday 9 July
• Thursday 10 July
• Wednesday 16 July
• Thursday 17 July
• Wednesday 23 July
• Thursday 24 July
• Wednesday 30 July
• Tuesday 5 August

No previous writing experience is needed—just your voice, memories, and curiosity. All sessions are paired with free Caribbean food.

How to Book

Places are limited, so get in touch soon to secure your spot! Ideally we are looking for participants to take part in all or as many of the sessions as they can. It’s not a problem if you miss a session or two, but ideally you’ll come to the majority.

For more information or to sign up, email [email protected]

When writing to book your spot on the programme, please let Courtney know:

• Any sessions you know you won’t be able to make
• If you have any access needs, dietry requirements or food alergies

Outcomes from the project

Stories and poems from the Mouth Mek Fi Nyam Windrush Project will be published in an anthology. This will available in both digital and printed formats, and distributed to local libraries and community centres. Participants will receive free copies.

Photo credits:

On the left, Keith Jarrett by Adrian Pope.

On the right, Courtney Conrad by Kashif Haque.