Poetry project invites people to explore emotional connections through writing
People are being invited to explore how poetry can support connection and give a voice by writing their own poems for a project called the Hope Collective.
Everyone is welcome to submit a poem, including NHS staff and patients. Poems must be under 450 words, written by an individual, and focused on one of the four themes of unspoken, loss, begin and moment.
Research shows poetry may benefit people of all ages to process emotions and tell stories to help others understand. Anyone can submit a poem, whether they have suffered loss or supported someone who has.
A panel of NHS staff, patients, and representatives from the National Poetry Centre and Creative Minds will select 60 poems based on their emotional impact. The anthology will be published in Spring 2026, with proceeds supporting EyUp!, the Trust’s charity for mental health and community services.
The Hope Collective was launched in November 2024 by the research and development team at South West Yorkshire Partnership Teaching NHS Foundation Trust in collaboration with the National Poetry Centre.
The first anthology from the Hope Collective includes poems about hope, joy, light and meaning, written by people who use our services, NHS staff or members of advocacy groups.
Associate director of research and development Luise Marino said: “Poetry can be a helpful tool in healthcare. It works by slowing things down to help us think deeply. This creates a space where we can all connect over our shared human experiences. Because of this, poetry can be a powerful way to bring healthcare workers closer to parents and their families.
“We think the Hope Collective will help healthcare workers understand what parents and families are going through as well as improving communication – making it easier for everyone to talk about difficult feelings and situations.”
You can submit a poem using our online form. Submissions are open until 11 December 2025.
If you’d like support with submissions, contact the research and development team on research@swyt.nhs.uk or 01924 316289.
