Emma Storr reads her poem ‘Present’ published in the anthology And The Stones Fell Open: A Leeds Poetry Anthology available here. Emma has a background in medicine and worked as a GP in Leeds for over 20 years in Harehills and Chapel Allerton after moving from London in 1993.
“I was very shocked by the number of destitute asylum seekers in the city in the early 2000s. Since I stopped doing clinical work, I volunteer as a Guardian with the charity Growing Points that helps displaced people find work, using their skills and previous qualifications. Although Growing Points is a national charity, it was started in Leeds and offers some great opportunities for people to train and work in the NHS within the Leeds Hospital Trusts in various clinical and administrative roles. The poem ‘Present’ was written for Growing Points to reflect my experience of meeting people from all over the world who want to contribute to working in the NHS here.”
You might also like to take a virtual tour of our Asylum in Art exhibition which shines a lens on what life is like inside a British Immigration Removal Centre (IRC) and beyond release into a community in the city of Leeds.