BCU Presents Benjamin Zephaniah

Professor Gregory Leadbetter

Professor of Poetry at BCU

Gregory is Professor of Poetry at BCU. His books and pamphlets of poetry include 'Caliban', 'Balanuve', 'Maskwork', 'The Fetch', and 'The Body in the Well'. Recent work for the BBC includes 'Metal City', and a song-cycle featuring poems from 'The Fetch' has been performed internationally. As a critic, he publishes on the history and practice of poetry, and his book 'Coleridge and the Daemonic Imagination' was awarded the University English Book Prize.

Casey Bailey

Poet, Writer and Educator, and former Birmingham Poet Laureate

Casey is an award-winning writer, performer and educator. Born and raised in Nechells, Birmingham, Casey was the Birmingham Poet Laureate from 2020 - 2022. His second full poetry collection 'Please Do Not Touch' was published in 2021. His debut play 'GrimeBoy' had a sold-out run at The REP, Birmingham, in 2022. He was commissioned by the BBC to write 'The Ballad of The Peaky Blinders' in 2019, winning a Webby Award. In 2022, Casey won a Royal Television Society award for a film for his poem “Dear Brum”. Casey has performed his poetry nationally and internationally. He was named BCU's Alumnus of the Year in 2024.

Jonathan Davidson

CEO of Writing West Midlands

Jonathan has worked for over thirty years in arts management and literature development. He is joint founder of the Birmingham Literature Festival and Chief Executive of Writing West Midlands. He lives in Birmingham.

Madeleine Kludje

Associate Director at The REP Birmingham

Madeleine is Deputy Artistic Director at The REP, Birmingham, and is an alumna of The Regional Theatre Young Directors Scheme. Her recent directing work includes 'Swim, Aunty, Swim' (Belgrade Theatre), 'Sky Comedy Rep', 'City of a Thousand Trades' (Birmingham Royal Ballet and The REP), 'Grimeboy' (The REP) and 'Park Bench Plays' (The REP). Madeleine also leads The REP's Talent Development programme.

Naush Sabah

Lecturer in Creative Writing at BCU and Editor of Poetry Birmingham Literary Journal

Naush is a writer, editor, and educator. In 2019, she co-founded Poetry Birmingham Literary Journal where she is currently Editor and Publishing Director. She was shortlisted for the Royal Society of Literature's 2021 Sky Arts Writers Award. Her debut pamphlet 'Litanies' was published in 2021 and shortlisted for the Michael Marks Poetry Award. Naush was Birmingham Literature Festival's inaugural Poet-in-Residence in 2022, and she is currently Poet-in-Residence at the Birmingham and Midland Institute. She is a Lecturer in Creative Writing at Birmingham City University.

Dr Catherine Gale

Owner of The Heath Bookshop

Catherine is co-owner of The Heath Bookshop in Kings Heath. Following 25 years of working with children, having completed a BSc (Hons) degree at Birmingham City University in Speech & Language Pathology & Therapeutics, and a PhD in Behaviour Analysis with Oslo Metropolitan University, Catherine followed her dream of owning a bookshop. Catherine, with her business partner Claire Dawes, opened The Heath Bookshop in 2022.

Dr Martin Glynn

Senior Lecturer at BCU, Poet and friend of Benjamin Zephaniah

Dr Martin Glynn is a criminologist, dramatist, screenwriter, children's author, and data storyteller with over 40 years' experience of working in criminal justice, public health, and educational settings. Dr Glynn is currently a Senior Lecturer in Criminology at Birmingham City University and is a member of the Crime Writers Association (UK).