Joy Winkler

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.