One person, wearing a yellow t-shirt, holds up the microphone to a school girl as she reads from a sheet of paper.
Free

19 Sep 2025

BBC Radio Club

A showcase of inspirational poetry performances by BBC Radio Club students from Keighley secondary schools.

Event Details
Date 19 Sep 2025
Times 1pm-2.30pm
Location St George's Hall

A partnership between the BBC and Word Up North, BBC Radio Club develops student skills in spoken word, performance poetry, and audio production.

Poets Wilko Wilkes, Testament and Saju Iqbal Ahmed with pupils from the Keighley secondary schools taking part in the project come together to perform the poetry they have written, and talk about their experience being part of Radio Club.

About the poets

Saju Ahmed

Saju is a Leeds-based spoken word poet and rapper of Bangladeshi and Irish heritage whose work confronts social issues and deconstructs stereotypes. He began writing in 2005 with Leeds Young Authors and represented the UK at the Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Slam from 2006–2008, later coaching the team to 2nd place in 2009. A published poet and case study in Teach Like a Writer by Jennifer Webb, Saju has also featured on BBC 1Xtra Live Lounge and in the BBC short film series Present Tense. His poetry appeared in BBC 1Xtra: On the Ground, BBC Four’s Rhyme and Reason, and the documentaries We Are Poets and Dyslexia and Loving Words. He wrote and acted in Ode to Partition, exploring the impact of the 1947 partition of South Asia. Saju was also active in the Chicago peace movement, using art and activism to inspire change.

 

Testament

Testament is a writer, rapper, educator and world-record breaking beatboxer.

Testament is writer of awards nominated play BLACK MEN WALKING(UK Theatre Awards, Writer’s Guild of Great Britain) and ORPHEUS IN THE RECORD SHOP which was broadcast on BBC Four TV.

Testament’s diverse work includes spoken word, composing music for award winning adverts, writing musicals, performing poetry at Downing Street, making radio history documentaries, nature essays and freestyle rapping for Nobel Peace Prize winners.

Testament has had numerous TV appearances on BBC, ITV and Sky Arts and has been the guest host on Radio 4poetry show The Verb twice. His poetic radio drama DAUGHTER won Special Commendation at the BBC Audiodrama Awards 2022and was nominated forthe Prix Europa.

He was 2019 Channel 4 Writer-in-Residence for THE ROYAL EXCHANGE THEATRE Manchester and was Black Nature Writer-in Residence for the Yorkshire Dales 2024, and part the HOT POETSeco-poetry collective.

As a facilitator, Testament runs the HIP-HOP CLINIC-a workshop that company that runs rap, poetry and beatbox workshops around the world.He has also worked with BBC Bitesize and presented GCSE Poetry podcasts.

Currently, he is a writer on the hit NETFLIX animated show CASTLEVANIA NOCTURNE.

 

Wilko Wilkes

Wilko Wilkes is an alternative rapper, music producer, and workshop facilitator from Bingley, West Yorkshire. A skilled wordsmith and mental health advocate, his genre-bending music has earned plaudits for its intricate lyricism, sharp wit and raw honesty,tackling personal struggles, depression, and social issues while weaving in humour and unexpected twists. He is the recipient of the 2024 Wordplay & Flow Award for Best Male Spoken Word Artist.

Wilko has become known for his captivating live performances which are a masterclass in technical precision, and have seen him open for hip hop legends Arrested Development.

As the founder of social enterprise Rap for Good, he harnesses the power of creative writing and rap to support young people’s mental health and wellbeing. Since June 2022, Wilko has partnered with schools, educators, and community organisations to deliver inspiring workshops and community projects, reaching over 2,000 young people in diverse settings.

Credits
BBC Contains Strong Language is a partnership between the BBC, Word Up North and Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture. It is supported by Arts Council England

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Poet Kirsty Taylor wearing a green jacket performs using a microphone. Poet Kirsty Taylor wearing a green jacket performs using a microphone.

Part of BBC Contains Strong Language

The UK’s biggest poetry and performance festival for new writing is coming to Bradford for the first time.

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