Multi award-winning poet Sammy Weaver has been appointed as Rochdale’s first ever poet laureate.
Between now and March 2026 Sammy, who lives on a narrow boat along Rochdale Canal will be leading poetry workshops in schools boroughwide as well as reflecting with her own words during the town’s big year as Greater Manchester Town of Culture
After completing her creative writing masters at Manchester Metropolitan University, Sammy bought a boat and moved from the city to the tranquillity of the Pennine waterways, using the moors and the post-industrial spaces as her inspiration:
“I really love it here, the wonderful communities we have, the canals, reservoirs and rivers, I love water and all the scenery we’re surrounded by, as well as the new developments in the town centre and of course the majestic town hall.”
Her debut poetry collection ‘Angola, America’ won the Mslexia Poetry Pamphlet Prize in 2021 and was shortlisted for the Michael Marks Award. Sammy has over 10 years’ experience leading creative writing sessions across the UK. Earlier this year she was made a Yaddo Fellow and was writer in residence at the organisation’s artists’ community in New York.
