South Gloucestershire Council

Published: 23/11/2012

​The ‘Ten Bench Trail’ is a poetry treasure hunt featuring a series of poems which provide clues to the locations of ten benches in around Staple Hill – from the library to Page Park, it’s up to you to work out where they are located.

A launch event takes place at Staple Hill Library at 10am this Saturday with poems penned during the project being read out by the people who took part in the creative writing project along with Sara-Jane Arbury, who devised and led the work.

Working with community groups and pupils from Staple Hill Primary School and The Tynings School, together they have created a series of poems which evoke the spirit of the area and encourage people to explore it further.

One of the poems is aptly named ‘Sit And Put Your Feet Up’

Between a bin and a pet shop, a supermarket down the way
Elderly people who need a rest sit on me and have a chat or look at the library
Nearly every day an old lady with red hair sits here – have you seen her?
Celebrate Christmas on the Hill, stand on me for a good view, watch children in the parade, the community spirit – raise a glass!
Have a look at the framed picture of bricks above me – it’s street art!

Visitors to the library will be able to pick up a trail leaflet and explore the route for themselves.

Cllr Janet Biggin said: “We wanted to create a fun activity to encourage people to discover their neighbourhood and the trail is a great way to get families exploring together. I hope everyone will follow the trails and enjoy some poetry and discover something new in Staple Hill.”

Alison Catlin, arts development officer at South Gloucestershire Council, added: “The idea to create a poetry treasure hunt around benches in Staple Hill came from discussions between South Gloucestershire Council, Poetry Can development agency in Bristol, Staple Hill Library members and poet Sara-Jane Arbury. A creative writing project was launched involving local people in a fun, inspiring and unique way to encourage them to discover and be proud of their neighbourhood. The project builds on the success of the Great Poetry Postcard Project held last year when Sara-Jane worked with local residents to explore what was special about their neighbourhood.”