The Afrikan Heritage Writers Group meets on the fourth Tuesday of the month. It was started in 2008, meeting in Homerton Library east London, before moving to its current home in the Dalston CLR James Library a few years later. It might well be the longest running such group in London. The group is a flagship project of the House of AMAU and the longest running one.

This mutual support group welcomes novelists, short-story writers, playwrights, poets and other creative writers. It is a development forum where participants can try out new material and share ideas in a friendly and informal atmosphere, giving and receiving helpful feedback.  There is a mentor mentee arrangement that enables the more seasoned writers to pass their experiences the others.

Meet the (AHW) MEMBERS

Baden Prince

Baden Prince (Jnr) is a dynamic poet, performer and storyteller who has been a part of London’s thriving Live Literature and Spoken Word scene for more than a decade. Between 2003 and 2010 he was organiser, promoter and host of “Speakeasy,” one of the most popular and highly regarded poetry events in London. His own performance credits are myriad, and he was Writer-in-Residence with the London Borough of Havering’s Library Service in 2003/4 and again in 2007/8.  As a writer and performer Baden engages reader and audience with a style that is warm, self-assured and displays an entertaining blend of insight and humour. He has appeared as a poet and storyteller at many prestigious events and venues, including; the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the Cambridge Festival and Rich Mix, Bethan Green.

Baden also has a considerable pedigree as a Creative Writing Tutor and Workshop Facilitator. His own work has been featured in various literary publications, notably “Rising” magazine and “The Rose and Thorn” e-zine. He is the author of “The Shadow Dancer,” a poetry pamphlet published by the Tall Lighthouse (sic) press.

Bridget Badoe McQuick

Bridget, also known as Lady Esi, is a writer who enjoys collecting and telling stories through various mediums including oral history, performance art and photography.

Her work has been published in two anthologies “Identities Unite” and “This is (my) Freedom”; and combining her love of poetry, drama and dance, she has written two musical theatre plays called “Reminisce” and “A Yaa Story Knows”. Bridget also regularly contributes to museum exhibitions and performs at events, festivals and carnivals within the UK and internationally using various art forms. Since joining the African Heritage Writers Group in 2014 she has facilitated workshops, performed at and co-hosts the group’s regular showcase events. Bridget was a contributor to ‘100 Years Unheard’ and is part of the AMBA publishing team.

Wearing lots of hats, she combines her skills, interest and passions to  invest in the community through working on projects  and events in various community and public sector organisations. Some of the current projects that she is involved in, includes being the current President  of Tottenham Speakers Toastmasters Club, she delivers a monthly poetry workshop to residents in assisted living facilities &  is the host of the monthly storytelling event Rebirth of the Griot. You can also hear Bridget as Lady Esi on a weekly radio talk show called “The More Knowledge Show”. She has developed a reputation as an excellent event host and compere.