Rain, Rhymes, and Coming Home: Jaidah McDill on the National Poetry Library Bus Tour

The mobile National Poetry Library bus rolled into Weston-super-Mare for its second stop, bringing literary magic to the rainy sea air of the Whirligig Festival. Following a successful launch in Great Yarmouth hosted by Jonny Croose, this West Country chapter was co- hosted by the Southbank Centre’s own Jaidah McDill and Gwyneth Herbert. We caught up with Jaidah to recap the weekend, and of course find out what’s next..

“Though grey skies poured, the wet weather could not dampen the warmth inside the bus. Welcoming all ages, introducing many to the joy of poetry for the first time. Visitors explored the rhythm of local coastal dialects, fusing them with the rich heritage of words housed within the traveling library. The creative spark was immediate: two young people wrote their first-ever poems on-site, recording and performing them live under the open mic spotlight.”

“This community connection was built during pre-Whirligig workshops with a Portishead young carers group, Walliscote Primary School pupils, and local Weston wordsmiths. Together, they mapped out a poetic treasure hunt warmly embraced by local businesses. The community spirit was lifted high by this collaboration—a huge thank you to all who opened their doors.

The weekend’s highlight arrived when Rhyme Against the Tide, the brilliant local poetry slam created by the wonderful Sophie Shepherd, stepped on board the bus. They joined the National Poetry Library team for a special showcase of local talent, bridging old voices and new. Be able to give back to the community that is giving me so much and particularly to Rhyme Against The Tide where I shared my first poem out in the wild, was a honour—it felt really special to share that moment together with huge thanks to Super Culture and The Southbank Centre for making it all possible.”

“To carry this energy forward, we launched the Word Exchange poetry competition. To enter, capture your local dialect or regional accent in a short poem of up to 12 lines. The winning voice will perform live at the 2027 London Literature Festival. Submit your verses via the official Southbank Centre Word Exchange Competition Page. Our deepest gratitude goes to the Super Culture and Southbank Centre teams for their unwavering support. Next, the wheels turn north toward Scotland, carrying stanzas to North Uist and Dundee, hosted by the brilliant Susannah Bolton and Cat MacLeod.”