An event celebrating the life of a famous poet will take place next month.

Cockermouth’s Kirkgate Centre is preparing to wrap up its year-long celebration of the life of Dorothy Wordsworth.

Cockermouth’s Kirkgate Centre is preparing to wrap up its year-long celebration of the life of one of the town’s most prominent and celebrated characters – the writer, poet and environmentalist Dorothy Wordsworth.

This is the finale of the #IAmDorothy Project, planned for next month.

The Kirkgate has been celebrating 250 years since Dorothy, sister of the former poet laureate William Wordsworth, was born in Cockermouth at what is now Wordsworth House, Main Street.

Gloria Edwards, from Cockermouth Heritage Group, added: “The event gives us an opportunity to reflect on the life of a woman mostly recognised as sister to William.

“However, Dorothy was an accomplished writer in her own right, as her journals show.

“She also produced her own unpublished poetry, and a travel account of a tour made of Scotland with William, not published until 1874.

“Who knows what else Dorothy might have been capable of in different circumstances?”

Some of the activities at the event include:

  • Marvel at the Giant Dorothy Portrait – Kirkgate commissioned 120 children from Cockermouth’s Fairfield school, plus artists Artfly, to make stunning images of Dorothy using 13,000 stickers.
  • Be dazzled by the Sparkles of Light display capturing Kirkgate Youth Theatre’s Dorothy-inspired 2021 production with photography by Chris Lewis (Cockermouth).
  • Wonder at old Cockermouth in Dorothy’s time – an exhibition from Heritage Group volunteers.
  • Be amazed by the Dorothy Light Sculpture – a portrait in light and words commissioned from Artfly (Ulverston) for Cockermouth’s 2021 Christmas lights.

Other activities will take place on the day upstairs in the Kirkgate’s theatre space, these include:

  • Film: Make The Journey – commissioned from John Hamlett (Kirkby Lonsdale), following Dorothy’s life journey from Cockermouth to Rydal.
  • Poetry from those who’ve made Dorothy’s journey from Main Street to Rydal
  • Music from Seven Sisters inspired by Dorothy’s journals followed by Quickbeam performing a song specially created for the event.
  • Special Performance by locally-based professional actors Toby Gaffney and Emma Rydal, inspired by creative writing from the children of Lorton and All Saints primary schools.

The finale of the #IAmDorothy project will take place at the centre during the Cockermouth Live festival on Sunday, July 3, from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm.

Tickets cost £3 and are free to under 18s.