Ellen Moran and Lennie Goodings

Hear new poems by Ellen Moran, specially commissioned for Herstory Newcastle and inspired by the poets’ work with local communities as well as the British Library’s Unfinished Business: The Fight for Women’s Rights exhibition. Ellen is moved by themes of protest, and specifically everyday acts of resistance. The poet is joined in discussion with Chair of Virago Press and Poet in the City’s board of trustees Lennie Goodings.

Ellen Moran 

Ellen is a poet and performer from Newcastle. She believes in using poetry to bring together communities and fight for a better world. She started writing in 2018 and in the same year she won the Great Northern Slam. Ellen was a semi finalist in the 2019 Hammer and Tongue UK Grand Final at the Royal Albert Hall. She was commissioned by Poet in the City and the British Library to respond to the Unfinished Business exhibition.

Lennie Goodings

Lennie is Chair of the UK British publishing house Virago Press. Her authors include among others, Margaret Atwood, Maya Angelou, Sarah Dunant, Sarah Waters, Naomi Wolf, Joan Bakewell and Marilynne Robinson. She is Canadian and has been in London and with Virago since the late 1970s; working with authors and books is her passion. Lennie is also the Chair of the board of trustees for Poet in the City.