Poet-in-residence chosen for City Bridge Foundation

An east Londoner has become the first poet-in-residence for a charity celebrating five of London’s bridges.

Cecilia Knapp will write about the capital’s major Thames crossings, their history and the role they play in Londoners’ lives.

The 31-year-old used to be the Young Person’s Laureate for London and is the resident poet at Great Ormond Street Hospital.

She said it was “really exciting” to take on the role.

She added: ​“It’s creatively fulfilling to be able to take on a completely new role and to work with the foundation to design what the job is and what it can do for London.”

The 31-year-old, who grew up in Brighton but lives in Hackney, will write poems about Tower, London, Southwark, Millennium and Blackfriars bridges, as well as the foundation’s funding work and wider issues affecting the capital.

She added: “A bridge is a poetic concept – the idea of connecting people – and poetry is a great connector, so using poetry to talk about bridges, and the people that use them, feels like a natural fit.”

Ms Knapp, who became interested in poetry after attending a workshop at the Roundhouse in Camden in 2012, was chosen by the City Bridge Foundation ahead of 170 applicants.

She will be paid £10,000 for the year-long role, which is also supported by the Poetry Society.

Giles Shilson, City Bridge Foundation chairman, said: “Apart from the power of her poetry and her years of experience, what greatly impressed us was Cecilia’s strong vision for the role and how her poetry could reflect our work in bridging London and connecting communities.”