Green and Carefree: The Children’s Laureate Wales Walking Tour

Published Mon 3 Jun 2024 - By Literature Wales

Alex Wharton, the Children’s Laureate Wales, is dusting off his hiking boots as he prepares to embark on a 5-day 40-mile trek, visiting 5 primary schools in the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park along the way.

Starting from his home in Pontypool, Alex will walk to Cantref Primary School, Abergavenny, on towards Llangattock CiW Primary School, Llangyndir Community Primary School, Llangors CiW Primary School, before ending his tour at Ysgol y Mynydd Du, Talgarth.

This project, supported by the Darkley Trust, will bring a world-class children’s poet to schools in rural areas, providing them access to a high-quality literary and artistic experience to help them further engage with Literature. Following Wales’ latest Pisa results, the need for these experiences is undeniable.

Author visits have fantastic benefits for children. They demystify literature, inspire and build confidence, and introduce the joy of writing and reading in and outside of school. Literature Wales is passionate about ensuring more high-quality literary activates in schools, especially locations that may not have as much access to funding in order to invite authors to visit their schools.

Like the drovers of old, Alex will walk from one location to the next, sharing poems and stories from the school he visited the previous day. The focus of his workshops and performances will be nature and wildlife. The aim is to provide year 5 and 6 pupils the skills to express ideas through poetry, explore the importance of looking after local wildlife and nature, foster positive relationships in their local areas, and empower the learners to take ownership of them.

Alex Wharton is an award-winning writer and performer of poetry for adults and children. He is the current Children’s Laureate Wales, and will be in post until 2025. Alex is extremely passionate about nature and wildlife. He loves walking the mountains of Pontypool with his dogs, learning about local flora and fauna, and he wants to share that curiosity and love of nature and poetry with children in rural areas. This project will marry the health and well-being benefits of learning, writing about, and being in Nature while recognising the importance of observing and writing about our local environment in the face of the climate emergency.

You can follow Alex’s journey on social media – all the relevant links can be found below.

Literature Wales Instagram

Alex Wharton Instagram

Literature Wales Twitter

Literature Wales Facebook

Children’s Laureate Wales Twitter