University of Worcester student named youngest ever Worcestershire poet laureate

A University of Worcester student, 22, has been selected as the youngest ever poet laureate for Worcestershire.

Freddie Barker, studying film production and screenwriting at the university, will graduate this September and begin her year-long tenure as a laureate recognised by the Worcestershire Literary Festival and Fringe Community Interest Company (CIC).

As one of the three finalists for the role, Miss Barker had to perform two poems.

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She said: It was surreal.

"I was so happy just to make it to the final and to have that on my CV.

"When they announced that I’d won, I was just ecstatic.”

Miss Barker's journey to the acclaimed position started with her university experience.

She said: "I was a bit scared off by GCSE poetry, but when I came to university, I joined the poetry society and found I really loved the community and the people."

She added: "Being at the University of Worcester has genuinely opened so many doors for me, it has changed everything, from my confidence to my ability."

Miss Barker will have plenty to get up to this upcoming year, including appearances at the Ledbury Poetry Festival Celebration Day and Worcester Fringe.

As poet laureate, Miss Barker aims to advocate for poetry and literary arts.

She said: "My goal is to bring poetry into the forefront of Worcester’s creative scene.

"We have beautiful murals, we have buskers and musicians, but we don’t have a lot of poetry in our day-to-day lives."

She added: "I want people from all walks of life to get involved, because some people see it as something that's not for them, so there's some myth-busting to do."