Truro’s Waterstones bookstore café is hosting an Autumn series of free poetry readings at lunchtimes.

The project – Waiter! There’s a Poet in my Soup – has come about after Bert Biscoe, Des Hannigan and Pol Hodge hosted an event in the café on National Poetry Day.

Bert approached the FEAST Programme, Cornwall Council’s community arts funding arm, and a grant of £500 means that each of the five poets will receive a small fee.

Poet, Bert Biscoe said: "Our opening two readings, with Ann Gray and Jane Darke went very well. People seem to like having something interesting and different to do after a morning of graft in the office.

"Word is spreading amongst poetry lovers and Waterstones is really supportive – as usual. The menu is good, and service efficient. You can hear what’s going on. The atmosphere is friendly and enthusiastic."

The final three events in the programme, which run from 12.30pm to 1.50pm, are:

Callum Mitchell Thurs, October 10

Pascale Petit - Thurs, October 31

Megan Chapman - Thurs, November 14

Callum Mitchell is a rag and bone renaissance man, a pound shop polymath.

He was born in Cornwall in 1987, and grew up in the fishing village of Newlyn. He has written plays, run a theatre company,

been in films, made films, curated art exhibitions, and led writing workshops for numerous regional and international organisations.

He has toured extensively to predominantly rural and economically deprived areas of the UK. He has performed his work at a number of festivals and venues across the country. His writing has featured in various publications and been translated into

Maltese, French-Breton and Cornish.

All events are on a Thursday lunchtime from 12.30 – 1.50pm (Just time to skip poetically back to

work!).

Poet, climber, journalist and travel writer, Des Hannigan is the joint host.

He said: "We’re delighted to bring together such a talented and diverse programme of poets in such an informal setting to provide something special and different in Truro."

‘Waiter! There’s a Poet in my Soup’ is funded by FEAST, supported by Cornwall Council and Arts Council, England. It is also supported by Waterstones.

Details of the various guest poets are available on:

Callum Mitchell http://www.callummitchell.co.uk/about

Pascale Petite http://www.pascalepetit.co.uk/

Megan Chapman https://mcmcchapman.wixsite.com/mcmc