21 March ‘There is an evening coming in…’, St Ninian’s Church, Hull, in partnership with The Philip Larkin Society.

To mark World Poetry Day and the 70th anniversary publication of Philip Larkin’s The Less Deceived, Liverpool-born poet, song lyricist and broadcaster, Stewart Henderson presents a celebratory assessment of Larkin’s poetry, echoing the late Clive James’s observation of Hull’s most famous librarian, ‘He faces the worst on our behalf and brings it to order’.

Stewart Henderson first came across Larkin’s poetry in a book shop in his native city in the early 1970’s, around the corner from the famous Cavern, and after ’the Beatles first LP’.

Pursuing poetry as an unlikely career path, widely anthologised, Stewart has had over a dozen volumes published, including three best-selling children’s collections. His song lyrics for various singer-songwriters, have drawn critical plaudits from such prestigious music magazines such as Q, Mojo and Buzz, who rank Stewart’s words alongside those of Randy Newman, Radiohead, and Mike Scott of The Waterboys.

Stewart’s many social history documentaries (including some award winning) for BBC Radio 4, Radio 2 and The World Service, have included programmes about composer, Lionel Bart; balladeer poet, Robert Service; the early radio years of Morecambe and Wise; plus two separate programmes on his home city’s famed, 1960’s music clubs, The Cavern, and The Mardi Gras.

For booking details, click here

22 March Larkin in Leicester

Although the Larkin Leicester walk is now fully booked, places are still available for the afternoon lecture, ‘My Friend Monica’: Remembering Philip Larkin’s Partner Monica Jones, to be given by Professor Kelvin Everest at the University of Leicester. For booking details click here

25 April Remembering Anthony Thwaite, St James Church, Sussex Gardens, London, 6.00 PM

To marks the publication of At the Garden’s Dark Edge, an anthology of Anthony Thwaite’s poems, a poetry reading will be held at St James’s Church, Sussex Gardens, London, on Friday 25th April at 6.00 PM introduced by the editor, Dr Kevin Gardner. Ann Thwaite, one of our Honorary Vice Presidents, will be delighted to see as many PLS members as possible.