In April 2020, during the UK’s first Covid19 lockdown when people were being encouraged to applaud NHS staff on their doorsteps, CCI invited some of the poets involved in Taking Note: poetry in moments to record their own poems as well as messages of support for NHS staff. Dr Mike More, Chair of Cambridge University Hospitals, also contributed by reading Welcome, the found-poem Kaddy Benyon created from many of the original stories. Poetry advisor Helen Taylor recorded Jo Shapcott’s poem The Patient, Rebecca Watts read When all this is over, Eve Lacey read Memory Bone and Kaddy Benyon read Head to Head. Both Welcome and Little One are on permanent display on the corridor to the Treatment Centre as part of the Hospital art trail.
All the recordings were shared on the Addenbrooke’s staff Facebook page and social media as ‘breakfast poems’ every Monday.
Taking Note - Poetry in Moments was a collection of new poetry created especially for the community of Addenbrooke’s, our local NHS hospital (and part of Cambridge University Hospitals). The full collection and stories from the project can be read here. Copies are also available in the CCI shop.
