Hope Collective 2.0

Our partners at the National Poetry Centre and the South West Yorkshire NHS Foundation Teaching Trust (SWYPT) are seeking contributions to the Hope Collective 2.0 – a new initiative exploring how, when and in what format poetry could support connection, giving voice to the unspoken and unheard. 

The IMH has long standing relationship with both the National Poetry Centre and the South West Yorkshire NHS Foundation Teaching Trust.

IMH Professor in Practice, Nick Barley, is Director of the National Poetry Centre and a key collaborator on ReaderBank - our large-scale study of the links between reading, the imagination and mental health. 

Dr Wajid Khan, Head of Research at SWYPT, is a member of the IMH Advisory Board and a member of our Discovery Research Platform's Strategic Engagement Group.

Find out more about the Hope Collective 2.0 by reading the FAQs below or watching a short video at this link: SWYT Poetry Collective - #2

Submissions to the project close on 11 December 2025.

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Hope Collective 2.0: Frequently Asked Questions

Who has developed the Hope Collective?

The Hope Collective was launched, in November (2024) by the Research and Development team at South West Yorkshire NHS Foundation Teaching Trust in partnership with the National Poetry Centre (Leeds), and includes poems about Hope, Joy, Light and Meaning, written by people who use our services, NHS staff or members of advocacy groups.

What is the second Hope Collective?

We are doing the second Hope Collective with our own communities, Universities of Southampton and Huddersfield, along with Cheshire & Merseyside Specialist Perinatal & Maternal Mental Health Services, and others exploring whether poetry can provide connection, giving voice to the unimaginable. There are four categories – Unspoken, Loss, Begin and Moment.

The bond between parents and children never fades, no matter how young or old they are. For parents and families who suffer the death of a baby (unborn or born) or child (including adult children), the loss and emotional fallout are indescribable.

 Why could writing poetry be helpful?

Poetry can be a helpful tool in healthcare. It can help us to think deeply. This creates a space where we can all connect over our shared human experiences. Because of this, poetry can be a powerful way to bring healthcare workers closer to parents and their families.

We think it will help healthcare workers understand what parents and families are going through as well as improving communication - making it easier for everyone to talk about difficult feelings and situations.

Who can submit a poem?

There are no age limits. Anyone is welcome to submit a poem, whether you have suffered loss or supported someone who has.  Use the QR code to submit a poem or submit via our online submission form.

When is the closing date?

For this initial pilot there will be a closing date of 11th December 2025.

What will happen to my poem?

Following the closing date, a panel of NHS staff, representatives from the National Poetry Centre, our linked advocates and parents, will choose the poems to include in the second anthology (book).  A member of the team will contact you if your poem has been chosen by the panel to be in the book, with a copy of the book sent once it has been published.  For those poems not included in the anthology, they will be published on a dedicated SWYT website page.