Poetry gives young people a voice on the climate crisis

Rooted brings together young people, poetry and the natural world, in partnership with Nottingham UNESCO City of Literature and ChalleNGe.

Designed for young people aged 13 to 25, the project has been delivered across Nottingham schools this spring, with a headline moment set to take place at the free outdoor festival Green Hustle on Saturday 30 May 2026.

Hannah Trevarthen, Director, Nottingham UNESCO City of Literature, said: "Access to nearby nature and the way we communicate with and about the natural world are a huge part of our Nature Laureate Programme. We're so excited to be involved in the Rooted project, which gives us the chance to support and nurture young voices to speak about the climate crisis through poetry. The toolkit will enable us to bring Nottingham to the world through our international network of UNESCO Cities of Literature, helping us to connect with the world about the earth that connects us all."

Led by Nottingham UNESCO Nature Poet Laureate Cara Thompson and poet-educator Jay Sandhu, a series of workshops took place at Bluecoat Aspley Academy, Stone Soup Academy and Djanogly City Academy. 

More than 140 secondary school students took part, developing their own creative responses to themes of ecology, compassion and connection, while building confidence in their writing and self-expression.

Cathy Mahmood, ChalleNGe manager, added: “This is a wonderful opportunity for young people to meet professional creatives and express themselves through poetry. Young people's words and ideas can inspire all of us to think again about our relationship with the natural world and the importance of coming together to respect and protect it, while caring for each other and those most affected by the climate crisis.”

Alongside the in-school programme, Rooted includes a free digital learning resource available to young people and educators worldwide. The resource brings together poetry from around the world, creative writing prompts, audio recordings and a curated reading list, all designed to help young people connect with nature and find their own voice. Through the UNESCO Cities of Literature network, it is set to reach young writers and educators across the globe.

Cara said: “Children and young people are the inheritors of our planet, so it felt really right to go into our local schools to hear their perspectives on the natural world through creating nature poetry. We were so impressed with the passion, storytelling and the courage the students brought to the page, and we can't wait to share their wise words with the wider public.”

Jay added: “Each different year group brought their own individual energy and created some truly special pieces of poetry. The young people we worked with not only surprised me with the sheer quality of their poems, but also the fact that they wanted to write about such socially conscious issues, with amazingly formed thoughts and opinions.”

A student said: “I really enjoyed the session. It’s very educational. We get to write poems to express the nature of our world and how to care about it, with our own words and our own creativeness.”

The project also includes an open poetry competition for young people aged 13 to 25, with entries welcomed internationally. The competition closes on July 31, 2026, and the winning poem will be transformed into a mural in Nottingham city centre.

Christine Katerere, co-director of Green Hustle CIC, said: “Rooted is about collective care; it aims to help young people connect positively and respond to the challenges facing the earth and its people.”

Green Hustle will be an opportunity to experience the work created by young people during the workshops, including performances throughout the day as part of a wider programme celebrating creativity, ecology and community.

Luke Potter, Djanogly City Academy, said: “We’ve worked with Green Hustle for a number of years on many exciting projects. This one has been focusing on poetry, looking at how the students see the world and their connection to the environment. It’s been really, really fun. The children have got a lot out of it, and it’s been a fantastic experience for everybody.”

Green Hustle Festival, an outdoor festival with a range of free and accessible activities is set to take place on Saturday 30 May from 11am-6pm. The festival is developed in partnership with It's in Nottingham, Experian, E.ON Next, Savoy Systems, Nottingham College and Nottingham City Council.

For more information, visit greenhustle.co.uk or follow @greenhustlefest