Biography
Born in Barnsley, Joy Winkler has written a lot about the places and people
she knew as a child. When her own two children were young, she moved with her family to live in Flamborough on the East Coast and that gave her lots of material drawn from the rich storytelling
tradition from that area. She has now lived in Cheshire for over
18 years and her interest tends to lean towards the people in the
towns in the North West, especially near to home in Macclesfield
where she lives.
Her poetry has been published in various magazines and
anthologies and broadcast on local radio. She has been a prize
winner in several poetry competitions and her work was part of
a collaboration with artist Steve Des Landes which is on display
along the tow path of the Shropshire Union Canal.
Joy was Cheshire Poet Laureate for 2005, and some of her work done
during her laureate year is on display in Ellesmere Port Library
and etched into the courtyard which forms part of the redevelopment
of Ellesmere Port Civic Square.
She has been Writer in Residence at HMP/YOI Styal since 2000
and works with the women there to cultivate their creative
writing and to help them to express their feelings and to
increase their self-esteem. She also facilitates workshops
for several writing groups in the North West.
Joy has had three collections of poetry published,
‘Morag’s Garden’ (1994), ‘Built to Last’ (1998) and
‘On the Edge’ (2006).
In 2007/8 Joy and former Laureate colleagues, performed as the "Bunch of
Fives", delivering innovative poetry performances across Cheshire. Following
this success, and further funding a new show called "Fourpenny Circus" will run
in 2009.
Also in 2008 Joy worked together with fellow poets Jo Bell and John Lindley
on several events as part of Macclesfield Cultural Festival.
