BROMSGROVE group Words, promoting interest in the written and spoken word, is inviting townsfolk to its next event when guest speaker will be the National Poet of Wales.

Although her parents were Welsh speakers, Gillian Clarke was brought up speaking only English. She later learned to speak Welsh as an adult, partly as a form of rebellion.

In 2008 she was awarded the Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry, while in 2011 she was named a member of the first ever judging panel for a new school poetry competition.

The competition was named Anthologise and spearheaded by the current Poet Laureate Carol-Ann Duffy.

In the centenary year of Dylan Thomas' birth Gillian will be reading some of the great Welsh poet's work as well as her recently published; Children's story for grown ups -  a commissioned response to Dylan's A Child's Christmas in Wales.

Reflecting on Dylan's work, Gillian said: "He seems greater and greater, the more I re-read him.

"The stories are up there with James Joyce. Influence? More than I had realised."

To mark the society's anniversary, Gillan has been commissioned to write a poem, which she will reading in public for the first time at the event.

Copies will also be available at the event, signed by the poet.

The event is being held on Friday, November 7, from 8pm.