The first Write Out Loud open mic poetry night south of the Wash is being launched in Surrey next week. Write Out Loud Woking is the initiative of Write Out Loud’s Greg Freeman and Woking Stanza group organiser Rodney Wood. It will be held on the third Monday of each month, at the New Inn pub at Send, just outside Woking.

Greg said: “I have long harboured a desire to see a Write Out Loud night in the south, and more specifically, in my home town of Woking, which is where the Jam grew up and first played, and where the Martians landed in The War of the Worlds. Our aim is to begin in a low-key way, with free entry and no guest poets, and build from there – and always remain true to the Write Out Loud ethos of grassroots poetry. I have to confess, I’m quite excited about this.”

The first Write Out Loud Woking night will be on 16 May at the New Inn, from 7.30 for 8pm, until 10pm. More details