Organisers of the Cheltenham Poetry Festival are looking for volunteers to help, and are offering free tickets to those that do, Write Out Loud understands. Email cheltpoetryfest@hotmail.co.uk  for more info.

TV presenter and poet Owen Sheers, hip-hop star Dizraeli, (pictured) Penelope Shuttle, slam-champs Ash Dickinson and Jack Dean, the animation and poetry show Under Stokes Croft, a showcase of poets from Worcester Literary Festival, a four-team slam, prize-winning poet Cliff Yates, a touring show by Martin Figura entitled Whistles, Helen Mort,  ‘The Brewery Bard’ Barnaby Eaton-Jones, Alison Brackenbury and many others are booked for the festival, which is celebrating its second year with 95 performers over five days from 18-22 April.   Booking info

Meanwhile the line-up for the poetry arena at the Latitude festival in Suffolk in July includes Benjamin Zephaniah, Tony Harrison, Don Paterson, John Cooper Clarke, John Hegley, Luke Wright, Rhian Edwards, Aoife Mannix, Jack Dean, Dean Atta, Mark Neil, Helen Mort, Sam Riviere, and many, many more. The festival is from 12-15 July at Henham Park, Southwold. Tickets went on sale this week.