‘It really is as though one person is speaking directly to you, saying it’s going to be all right’ Formerly The Emergency Poet, offering poetry on prescription from her vintage ambulance, Deb Alma is now best known as co-founder of the world’s first walk-in Poetry Pharmacy, based in Bishop’s Castle here in Shropshire. In this episode of Hello You the Shropshire podcast, Deborah Alma talks about how poetry can help us, and tells her remarkable story which encompasses using poetry with people with dementia, in hospice care, with women’s groups and with children in schools, right up to opening Poetry Pharmacy branches in York and on London’s Oxford Street! Join in the conversation in the comments: Mentioned in this episode: Poetry Prescriptions by Deborah Alma Deborah Alma’s poetry and anthologies on Bookshop ‘Staying Alive’, an anthology of five hundred poems from around the world edited by Neil Astley ‘In Blackwater woods’, by Mary J. Oliver ‘Arrival’, by R.S. Thomas If you enjoy this episode of Hello You the Shropshire podcast, you probably know someone else who’d like it just as much. Why not hit this button and share it with them right now? A beano, a boogie or a bunfight in Bishop’s Castle? The small town of Bishop’s Castle is a very Hello You type of place. It’s where Deb Alma established her Poetry Pharmacy, and she says it’s ‘full of people who have opted out of the general way of things’. It’s got a very special vibe, one that I think fits with the Hello You ethos. Hence my suggestion, in this episode, that maybe we could get together there? Would you be interested in meeting up and hanging out with other listeners to Hello You the Shropshire podcast? And if so, would Bishop’s Castle be a good place to do it? Send me a message to tell me what you think. Are you up for this? While you’re thinking about it, here’s some Bishop’s Castle info to tempt you, maybe: Visit Shropshire: Bishop’s Castle Bishop’s Castle and Beyond Visit Shropshire Hills: Bishop’s Castle Stuff. And things That’s what Hello You is about. People’s stories, largely. And the occasional rant or brain-dump from me (e.g. the first few minutes of this episode!). Or if you prefer, it’s intelligent, informed, progressive and often quirky conversation, for and about Shropshire and the wider world. I’ll include one of those two descriptions in my ‘supporting material’ with the podcast award entries I’m contemplating, if I get my s**t together enough to actually enter the awards. As you’ll hear in this episode, I’m as yet undecided, and the clock is ticking. Anyway, whichever description works for you - ‘Stuff and Things’ or ‘Intelligent, informed yadda yadda’ - I hope you like what I do. Want to hear more? Splendid! There are more than a hundred and fifty previous episodes to check out! I hope you’ll also subscribe, so you don’t miss any future Hello Yous. It’s free to subscribe! Should you feel led by whichever spirit populates your belief system to take out a paid subscription, though, I will be profoundly grateful. Also, you’ll get some paid-tier-only audio (as soon as I’ve recorded some more of it). Click the hell out of this button: Please also click the hell out of any ‘Like’ or heart-shaped buttons you see around Hello You, whether it’s here on Substack, on Apple, Google or Spotify Podcasts (hit ‘follow’ on Spotify too? and if your friends are big Spotify users, send them the link). Thank you for being a member of the Hello You family I can’t tell you how much it means to me that you even check out what I do. Even though we’re spread all over the world, we are a family. We care for each other. You’re welcome around the Hello You virtual kitchen table anytime. Please take care of yourself. Take care of the people around you … and I hope the people around you are taking care of you, too. Hello You - the Shropshire podcast from Jim Hawkins is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jimallthetime.substack.com/subscribe
