Fighting Words

Fighting Words fosters creativity in new Belfast writing hub

Fighting Words NI aims to expand support for children and young people who are most seldom heard

A Fighting Words event. Fighting Words Northern Ireland (NI) has launched a new writing hub in east Belfast

Hilary Copeland
Tue May 21 2024 - 05:00

Late last year, Fighting Words Northern Ireland (NI) launched a new writing hub in east Belfast. Based in Connswater Shopping Centre, the new workshop space will allow Fighting Words NI to continue to provide creative writing opportunities for thousands of children and young people across Northern Ireland each year.

The new space will allow Fighting Words NI to continue providing vital work in fostering a love of creative writing in our young people, helping to bring great art to all. Over the next three years, Fighting Words NI aims to expand support for children and young people who are most seldom heard, by providing more extracurricular opportunities for them and by developing new activities to support them in the classroom alongside their teachers.

Hilary Copeland, director at Fighting Words NI, said: “Our new location in the heart of the east Belfast community, brings creative writing straight to children, young people and their adults in a way that’s really accessible. There is a deep pride in this small corner of the globe, there is kindness, humour and a rich history of storytelling.

“Huge thanks to our funders for their support in fitting out the space: Clothworkers’ Foundation, the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland through The RTÉ Toy Show Appeal, and Arts Council of Northern Ireland and the Department for Communities through the Health and Safety Capital Programme, as well as the many friends, volunteers and businesses who donated time, money and goods to get our creative education hub ready to welcome writers.”

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Young people have their say on the new writing hub

Timothy

What is writing? Writing is like a forest. It’s so much fun to wander around in. All the things you can see, ideas you can explore. If writing is like a forest, it needs to be nurtured. Tended to, it grows, blossoms and becomes something we can all enjoy.

Ishaan

I hope that the Fighting Words organisation grows much more in the next five years from what it is now, and continues to help the minds of the future youth in several ways to write and bring out the best of their skills.

Leonie

Words will erupt here,

Towards a beautiful future,

To live in the hearts of those who pass through.

These words will not die away,

And these dreams and hopes will live on.

We get to build a few forevers here.

I think that means we’ve won.

Kaila

Write what’s wrong and write what’s right, Write for your dreams and write for your fight, Write about love and about your land, Write it all simply because you can.

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