photo of a path and trees on campus with written info about LU Arts' new campus poetry walk

LU Arts launch campus audio walk featuring collection of student poetry for Mental Health Awareness Week

LU Arts have launched an audio poetry walk to inspire the Loughborough community to connect with the outdoors and our beautiful campus, as part of Mental Health Awareness Week (10-16 May).

The walk features poetry by ten talented students, who have each been inspired by a particular location on our East Midlands site. Examples include The Watchers sculpture, the Students’ Union, and the running track surrounding Claudia Parsons Hall.

It works through an app that pins the poems to the location on campus that they were inspired by. When you are in the location of the poem, you will be able to listen to the poem which has been recorded by the student who wrote it.

By tuning in, it offers users the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors and explore their surroundings, whilst taking a moment to unwind and escape from the daily stresses of life.

To access the poetry walk, simply download the Overhear app from the App Store or Google Play. It is free to use.

A suggested walking route and map showing where the poems are pinned to can be downloaded here.

Director of LU Arts Nick Slater commented: “I was delighted with the quality and range of poems produced by the selected students. The poems offer a personal perspective on a variety of different locations, each of which resonates with the writer, offering the listener a unique perspective on our campus environment. I would encourage everyone to take time out, go for a walk, listen to the poems, and gain a new experience of the University.”  

A full list of the student poets, the names of their poems, and the location they were inspired by can be viewed below:

One of the student poets, Angeline Lee said: "It has been an amazing privilege to be able to write a poem for this app. The team were wonderful and I've learnt so much from this experience. I hope that hearing our poems will inspire others to look inward and listen to their hearts, and perhaps even bring out the poet within! All in all, it's been an honour to work on this project and promote mental health awareness. I wish everyone well on their own journeys and happy walking!"

You can find out more about the University events and initiatives taking place as part of Mental Health Awareness Week by visiting the dedicated webpage.

Please note a part of the walk may be inaccessible to wheelchair users as it is a loose gravel path. For those who cannot access the Bathaus, a written copy of this poem is available on request.
If you have a hearing impairment, written copies of the poems can be provided by contacting
LUArts@lboro.ac.uk

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