BBC Radio Cymru Resident Poet

Chaired poet and Director of Canolfan Bedwyr, Dr Llion Jones, has taken on a new role as resident poet for the BBC’s Welsh language radio station Radio Cymru, this month.

The idea of commissioning a resident poet is a new departure for Radio Cymru with the aim of providing listeners with an opportunity to gain a better insight into the poet’s work and the station itself. Each month, the resident poet is expected to produce a number of poems based on conversations, stories, songs or whole programmes heard on Radio Cymru. The poems will then be broadcast on various Radio Cymru programmes.

“This is a unique and exciting project,” said Betsan Powys, Radio Cymru's Programme Editor. “Our hope is that the poets’ creative involvement will enrich what we have to offer”.

Llion, who last year won the ‘People’s Choice Award’ in the Wales Book of the Year competition for his innovative book of poetic tweets Trydar mewn Trawiadau, said: “As one who has always strived to build bridges between poetry and different media and platforms, I’m looking forward to the challenge and responsibility of bringing Radio Cymru listeners and poetry closer together”.

Publication date: 4 June 2014