Housebuilders celebrate Staffordshire with help of poet laureate

Dawn Jutton, who was Staffordshire Poet Laureate from October 2022 to October 2024, was commissioned by the developers to write a poem, titled ‘Staeth,’ that celebrates the deep-rooted and varied history that the midlands county has to offer.

The poem has been framed and placed on display in the sales centre at both the housebuilder’s developments, The Catkins and Bertelin Fields.

Ahead of last month's World Poetry Day, Dawn was in turn invited to the developments to see her framed commissioned piece and meet with the Barratt and David Wilson Homes sales teams.

Dawn said: “As Staffordshire Poet Laureate I enjoyed many opportunities to bring poetry into unexpected places, but the commission for Barratt and David Wilson Homes was definitely a highlight for me.

“I saw the poem as a wonderful opportunity to offer people thinking of settling in the area a celebration of the ancient history of Stafford and the people connected to this once-important market town built on land nestled by the River Sow – a river that starts and ends in the county and connects us to an abundance of natural spaces and wildlife.

Steve Barton, Senior Sales Manager at David Wilson Homes Mercia, said: “As leading housebuilders, we want to do as much as we can to support the community in which we build, which includes showcasing its best qualities. We are delighted that Dawn has helped us to achieve this.”

Nicola Foster, Senior Sales Manager at Barratt Homes West Midlands, said: “We are proud to be displaying Dawn’s poem in the sales centres at Bertelin Fields and The Catkins. Staffordshire is a wonderful county that has much to offer, and we invite everyone to visit the sales centre to find out about our communities and read the poem for themselves.”

The words of the poem are as stated: