Powerful new book of poetry launched at NCMME

A powerful collection of poems, prose and photographs, The Coal Anthology, is being launched at the National Coal Mining Museum England on Saturday, 9 November 2024.

The anthology, edited by Sarah Wimbush, Ann Sansom, and Peter Sansom, commemorates the 40th anniversary of the Miners’ Strike with a rich and emotive tapestry of creative responses.

To mark the launch, a special event will be taking place at the museum between 2pm and 3.30pm featuring readings from the anthology by the editors and contributors.  It will offer a fascinating insight into the voices and stories that are being showcased in the book. A poem by the former national poet of Wales Gillian Clarke is featured in the moving collection of work.

The COAL Anthology marks the 40th anniversary of the Miners’ Strike and reflects on the years leading up to the strike, the strike itself, and its aftermath. Throughout 2024, The Poetry Business and National Coal Mining Museum have worked with poets from the North of England and Wales to run a series of workshops, encouraging participants to develop their own creative responses to this pivotal moment in history. Some of these works are featured in the anthology, alongside an expanded online collection that delves deeper into the period and its lasting impact, which will be launched in 2026. Contributors to the book include the Poet Laureate Simon Armitage, Liz Berry, Gillian Clarke, Ian McMillan and Helen Mort, alongside newer voices also writing about mining and the communities that mean or meant so much to them.

The Poetry Business, a leading writer development agency and independent press organisation, has been instrumental in the project. Not only publishing the anthology but also engaging with communities through workshops and events which have allowed these precious stories to be gathered and preserved for future generations. They have nearly four decades of experience in nurturing the writing and developing the careers of hundreds of poets.

Now based in Sheffield, The Poetry Business publish books, pamphlets and The North, a twice-yearly literary magazine, teach poetry workshops across the UK, and run intensive residential courses and an advanced Writing School for published poets.

The Museum is currently marking the 40th anniversary of the miners’ strike, with its latest exhibition 84/85: The Longest Year. The exhibition considers the strike through memories and stories of miners and their families. Uniquely positioned at a former working colliery, the Museum addresses the broader picture of the strike and gives a voice to those who experienced it.

Lynn Dunning, CEO, National Coal Mining Museum England, said: “The COAL Anthology is a moving and impactful tribute to the resilience and spirit of our mining communities. This collection not only commemorates the 40th anniversary of the Miners’ Strike but also brings to life the voices and stories that shaped this pivotal moment in history. We are honoured to launch this anthology at the National Coal Mining Museum, where we share the memories and the stories of the miners through our collections and incredible underground experience.”

Image: Keith Pattison, NCMME Collection