An abandoned notice board has been converted for use as a rotating poetry display

New River poetry (left) and Valerie Darville (right)

An abandoned notice board on the New River has been converted for use by local poets – hailed as Enfield’s equivalent of the ‘fourth plinth’ in Trafalgar Square.

The poem titled Coal Fires and Steam written by Enfield Poets co-founder Valerie Darville is now on display at the notice board in Southbury Road.

Last year The Enfield Society was involved in co-creating five information panels along the New River Loop, but decided not to go ahead with an early idea for each panel to include a poem.

However, an old disused New River Loop stand on the Southbury Road stretch of the loop has now been repurposed to display poems.

John Cole from The Enfield Society said: “It provides an excellent opportunity for accomplishing what could not be delivered previously.

“The Enfield Society worked with Enfield Poets founder Anthony Fisher to create our first poem on our tiny equivalent of the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square!”

Trafalgar Square’s fourth plinth has become famous in recent years for displaying works of art on a rotating basis, and it is hoped other poems could be displayed on Enfield’s version in future, subject to demand.

No news is bad news

Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.

The audiences they serve know less, understand less, and can do less.

If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.

Choose the news. Don’t lose the news.

Monthly direct debit

Annual direct debit

£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else.