POET Henry ends his year as Herefordshire’s poet-in-residence with a celebratory reading at The Big Apple Festival, taking place on Saturday and Sunday, October 11 and 12.

Paul Henry’s year as poet-in-residence has seen him perform a specially commissioned Hedgehog poem at the Celebration of the Hedgehog in Ross on Wye, give workshops and readings in schools and libraries across the county, performances at Ledbury Poetry Festival and much more. Reflecting on his time as the county's resident poet, Paul said:

"Helping to unveil Herefordshire's wealth of poetic talent has proved the highlight of my year."

He has also created an online Poetry Orchard, inviting people to contribute poems celebrating Herefordshire apples. There are now more than 40 poems on the page and there is still time to submit a poem. Among the most popular names to inspire poems are Cherry Permain, Green Wilding, Strawberry Norman and Fox Whelp.

All the Poetry Orchard contributors have been invited to read their poems at a special event among the trees at Hellens Manor on Sunday, October 12 at 2.30pm, when Paul will also read a selection of poems inspired by his year as the county's first poet-in-residence.

Artist Jeanette McCulloch will host a drop in art day on Saturday, October 11, from 11am to 5pm at Hellens Manor to create a backdrop of autumnal apple coloured fabrics, all decorated with apple names.

The Big Apple Festival celebrates English apples and cider - experience hands-on apple pressing of cider apples and perry pears, enjoy ploughman’s lunches, bring along your own apples and have the variety identified by experts, apple tastings, apple teas, market stalls, music and dancing. For further information visit bigapple.org, or poetry-festival.co.uk/the-poetry-orchard