A 13-YEAR-OLD girl has set up a poetry workshop for youngsters to showcase their talent, following the publication of statistics which revealed a quarter of children in the area she lives are living in poverty.

Immy Blackburn-Horgan, of Redhoods Way West, Letchworth GC, set up the workshop called Wilbury Has Talent after reading the article on child poverty in the Comet.

It reported 25 per cent of children in the Wilbury ward were living in poverty.

She said: “I wanted to show that we do have people who are talented in Wilbury.

“I wanted to set something up where I could bring other young people together so that we could create poems.

“I acknowledge that there is poverty in the area but I thought I could draw out some positive things from the area too and give kids from the area something to do.”

Immy, who is a student at St Francis College, Letchworth GC, has enlisted help of local poet John Gohorry, who will be leading the workshop.

John, who is a member of Poetry ID in Letchworth GC, has been published in the UK, Germany, and the USA since 1975.

On the day, he will be helping children between the ages of eight and 17 write three poems, which Immy hopes to have published with the help of the Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation and have them put up around the town centre.

The workshop will be held from 10am to midday on May 11 at St Thomas of Canterbury church, Bedford Road, Letchworth GC. It is free and open to children from the Wilbury ward.

For more information on the workshop or to book a place email immyblackburnhorgan@yahoo.co.uk