Yesterday’s (1st September) Benjamin Zephaniah: A Celebration held at the Midlands Arts Centre (MAC) was filled with positivity and emotion, as people gathered here to remember the Birmingham icon and celebrate with his family, friends, and many creative and nature-loving individuals from our beautiful city and beyond.

With powerful performances from Jasmine Gardosi current Birmingham Poet Laureate, and the previous Laureate Casey Bailey, as well as fantastic musicians, films, and art installations – we joined the wonderful festivities to talk about The Zephaniah Forest and our Trees Please, Poetry Please? competition!

We are so grateful and delighted to finally meet David Springer, one of Benjamin’s brothers, who ran mesmerising screen-printing workshops during the event, and has been working with us on the plans for the legacy forest in Burbury Park, Newtown, where Benjamin and his family grew up for a time.

This fated mini forest will give back to the community that Benjamin lived in, loved, and never truly left, as his spirit will continue through the growth of the new trees, their expanding roots, and their dedicated poetry.

We also had a chance to catch up with Bradley Taylor, who is helping us with our endeavours with his enthralling verse and engaging workshops, as well as having many interesting and fruitful conversations with attendees at our stall.

Congratulations to all the incredible performers, and a huge thank you to the MAC for inviting us to such a thoroughly enjoyable and emotive event, and to those who promised us a poetry submission we surely look forward to receiving them, and we are thankful for the support we’ve received for Benjamin’s legacy forest with the Benjamin Zephaniah Family Legacy Group.

A tremendous day all around, and our entire team came home with big smiles on our faces!