Commonwealth Poetry Podcast

Did you know, there is a 1,000 km walkable path connecting the Commonwealth? In this week’s episode Gyles and Aphra Brandreth go on a virtual walk to find out all about the work of the Commonwealth Walkway Trust. Speaking to the Trust’s CEO Jim Walker, and to Royal Biographer and trustee Hugo Vickers, together they share their stories of walking in each Commonwealth Country and the collaborative a...

In this episode Gyles and Aphra Brandreth meet with H.E. Emmanuel Mallia, High Commissioner for Malta in the UK. Emmanuel Mallia talks about the part that poetry has played in his life, describing poetry as something that you feel inside. Discussing the poetry of Malta from the oldest known literary text in the Maltese language, a poem dating from around 1485, to the poems and hymns of Dun Karm Ps...

Join Gyles and Aphra Brandreth as they meet the Chief Executive of Oxam, Danny Sriskandarajah, who shares his story growing up on a small island in Sri Lanka. Recalling the happy memories of his childhood as well as the lasting impacts of the Sri Lanken civil war that would displace his family. Danny reads poems from the ancient Tamil text, Thirukural, as well as sharing poems that highlight diffe...

Join Gyles & Aphra Brandreth as they venture to the west-central Pacific Ocean to explore the 4th smallest country in the world by land mass, and a country where the population is less than 12,000, Tuvalu. Speaking to the Honorary Consul General for Tuvalu in the UK, H.E. Dr Sir Iftikhar Ayaz, we learn about Tuvalu’s past and its future, in a country where the threat of climate change is immed...

In this episode Gyles and Aphra Brandreth’s journey around the Commonwealth takes them to New Zealand where they meet H. E. Bede Corry – the New Zealand High Commissioner to the UK at the time of recording and now the Ambassador to the USA. Meeting at the High Commission in London, he shares his love of New Zealand, and Literature, and discusses New Zealand’s poetry.   Poems this episode include S...

Start the new year with a special podcast episode recorded from the Blue Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace. In this episode Gyles and Aphra Brandreth meet the young winners from across the Commonwealth of the Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition. With special guest appearances from three of the ambassadors of the Royal Commonwealth Society: Geri Horner, Alexandra Burke and Ayesha Dharker.   In t...

Join Gyles and Aphra Brandreth for a special Christmas episode with Baroness Floella Benjamin OM DBE. The Trinidadian born actress, presenter, broadcaster and parliamentarian, currently Chairs the Windrush Commemoration Committee and was recently awarded the Order of Merit. She has written over 30 books with her memoir ‘Coming To England’ now studied in schools. In this episode she shares her memo...

In this episode Gyles and Aphra Brandreth meet Dr Theresa Muñoz a poet and researcher based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Winner of the Muriel Spark Centenary award, RLS Fellowship & Creative Scotland Project Grant, Theresa’s poems have appeared in journals across the Atlantic. Her debut collection Settle (Vagabond Voices, 2016), shortlisted for the Melita Hume Poetry prize. Discussing Canadian poet...

In this episode Gyles & Aphra Brandreth travel to Nigeria to meet Ben Okri. The Booker Prize winning author is a poet, novelist, essayist, short story writer, anthologist, aphorist, and playwright. Ben was born in Minna in the North of Nigeria before moving to England as a young child. Together with his family, aged 7 years old, he returned to Nigeria on the cusp of the civil war, something wh...

In this episode Gyles & Aphra Brandreth are joined by HRH The Duke of Kent, President of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, and Royal biographer Hugo Vickers, for a special recording to mark Remembrance Sunday.    Speaking from York House in London they share war poems from across the Commonwealth to remember the contribution and sacrifice of the many men and women from all around the Com...

In this episode Gyles and Aphra Brandreth meet Dr Farah Faizal the High Commissioner for the Republic of Maldives in the UK. Dr Faizal, who enjoys writing poetry herself and is the granddaughter of poets, discusses pioneering women in Maldivian poetry. In this episode she shares poems by one of the earliest female poets writing in the Dhivehi language, Aminath Faiza who was famously known as the “...

In this episode Gyles & Aphra Brandreth travel to the Seychelles located in the Western Indian Ocean to meet dub poet Tony 'Raspyek' Joubert. Going by the stage name Raspyek, he shares his story and performs some of his poems including ‘Mr Johnson’ which he wrote as a young man about the boyfriend of an older girl he was in love with, ‘Money’ and ‘Hours of Slavery’. 

In this episode Gyles & Aphra Brandreth travel to Kiribati, located in the central Pacific Ocean it is made up of 33 Coral islands, of which 20 are inhabited with a total population of just 115,000. We meet Rotee Walsh a traditional singer and dancer, and her husband Michael Walsh author of A History of Kiribati from the Earliest Times to the 40th Anniversary of the Republic . They share their...

In this episode Gyles & Aphra Brandreth travel to Belize in Central America where they meet Felene Cayetano a Belizean, Garifuna, Librarian, Author, Mother, Screenwriter and Director. Describing Belize as “a place of love and joy and sunshine” she shares her passion for reading, for books, and for libraries.  Poems this episode include: Dawn is a Fisherman by Raymond Barrow and In My Feet by F...

In this episode Gyles & Aphra Brandreth travel to Australia which is amongst the largest countries in the world and home to the world’s biggest coral system. They meet with the High Commissioner for Australia His Excellency George Brandis QC who shares his love for Australia as well as his love for poetry, reading two classic Australian poems. And we hear from Jaya Savige, an Australian Poet l...

In this episode Gyles and Aphra Brandreth meet award winning poet Grace Nichols, recipient of the 2021 Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry. Meeting at her home in Lewes, East Sussex, Grace takes us on a journey to Guyana sharing stories of growing up in a small country village before moving to the capital George Town and eventually migrating to England.   Poems this episode include: Picture my Father, W...

In this episode Gyles & Aphra Brandreth travel to Cyprus – one of the sunniest islands in Europe. It has been written about and featured in literature over hundreds of years from Ancient Epic Poetry to Shakespeare. Our guest this episode is Dr Marios Psaras the Cultural Counsellor at the Cypriot High Commission who takes us on a journey discovering the richness of Cypriot literature. He shares...

In this episode Gyles and Aphra Brandreth's journey around the Commonwealth takes them to St Kitts & Nevis where they meet H.E. Dr Kevin Isaac, High Commissioner for St Kitts and Nevis and the current Vice-Chair of the Board of Governors of the Commonwealth Secretariat. Dr Isaac is also a published poet describing his poems as 'verbal photography' taking snapshots of life. Poems...

In this episode Gyles and Aphra Brandreth's journey around the Commonwealth takes them to Cameroon via Russia and Wales! They meet Eric Ngalle Charles a Cameroonian born, Wales based writer, poet, playwright, and actor who shares his remarkable journey crossing continents from Africa to Europe. Poems in this episode include If Heaven is Her Father’s Land, Her Father Can Keep It, and Fragments...

In this episode Gyles and Aphra Brandreth's journey around the Commonwealth takes them to Rwanda where they meet Melody Ingabire a Rwandan poet working at the High Commission in London. Melody paints a picture of Rwanda, reading thought provoking poems which reflect on the 1994 Rwandan genocide, as well as sharing her optimism for the future. Poems in this episode include Speak for the People...

Poetry from around the world! A fortnightly celebration of Poetry and The Commonwealth - the journey begins at Clarence House in London where award winning podcaster Gyles Brandreth and his daughter Aphra meet HRH The Duchess of Cornwall and Dame Joanna Lumley. Over the coming weeks Gyles & Aphra will be visiting each of the 54 countries of the Commonwealth, meeting poets, performers and peopl...