Poet Laureate
East Riding Poet Laureate
Charlotte Oliver writes poetry for children and adults. She spent three years as BBC Radio York's Saturday Poet Laureate, and has been broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and 6Music. She has been placed in many competitions including the Patricia Eschen Poetry Prize and Wirral Poetry Prize, as well as being shortlisted in the Yeovil Literary Prize. Charlotte performs regularly around the UK and has supported Henry Normal, Caroline Bird and Luke Wright. Her poetry commissions include work for the BBC, the North Yorkshire Moors National Park and the National Literacy Trust, and she regularly collaborates with visual artists. One of the Poetry Society's 'Poets in Schools', Charlotte's debut collection Nothing Happens but Everything Happens is out in October 2026 with Valley Press.
Image credit: Matthew Storm
Young Poet Laureate
Elspeth Snelling is an experimental poet based in Beverley. She has a first class BA with honours in Creative Writing from York St John University, where she was awarded the School of Humanities Prize for her high achievement. She has been a guest speaker at Women of Words, Hull, and hosts a monthly poetry evening at Upstairs at Gemini. Her work has been published in Beyond the Walls and Demeter’s Garden, and performed on BBC Upload and Hull Live. Elspeth believes it is important to experiment with language as poetry is a process of unforming a subject and reforming it anew. This is a process of understanding the world around us. As East Riding Young Poet Laureate, Elspeth wants to encourage people to read a wide range of poetry, and write simply to enjoy the process, not to create a product. She hopes that, through this, people can find a new and deeper love for poetry, leading to a richer understanding and expression of our landscapes, communities, and selves.
What is the East Riding Poet Laureate?
The East Riding Poet Laureate will promote poetry and act as an ambassador for the East Riding of Yorkshire and the Library Service. The role will support the development of a local writer and provide paid opportunities to write new commissions and publish a collection of their work, as well as to deliver events and activities to engage local people with workshops and performances.