Charity searching for first ever poet in residency to ‘celebrate London’s bridges’

A charity is searching for a poet in residency for London’s bridges for the first time in its 900-year history.

City Bridge Foundation said the job involves writing about the capital’s major Thames crossings, their history and the role they play in the life of Londoners today. 

The role is open to published poets of any style. The successful applicant will be expected to regularly visit Southwark, Tower, London, Millennium and Blackfriars bridges to draw inspiration for their work.

The selected poet will be paid £10,000 for the year-long role, which the foundation said will be at no cost to the taxpayer.

The Poetry Society – the UK’s national poetry organisaiton – has backed the poet-in-residence scheme, launched on Thursday for World Poetry Day, and will help manage the role. 

Giles Shilson, City Bridge Foundation chairman, said: “For hundreds of years, our bridges have been central to the story of London during its happiest and its darkest moments, yet tributes to them in verse are surprisingly scarce.

“The job is the only one of its kind anywhere.”

(Picture: City Bridge Foundation)