Purple Patch poetry magazine, which has been publishing for 35 years, is holding a poetry convention next year at the Barlow theatre, Spring Walk, Langley, near Oldbury, Birmingham, from Friday evening 25 May, all day Saturday 26, and possibly Sunday morning 27 May 2012. Send £6 in advance and name and address plus SAE or your email address to be guaranteed reading spot(s) if you wish to read, to Purple Patch, 25 Griffiths Road, West Bromwich B71 2EH. There will be readings, workshops, talks and book sales on Saturday, and an evening poetry show on stage. Non-readers are of course also very welcome.

Purple Patch’s Geoff Stevens said: “We have held four of these events before, the last one in 2004, and they have all been friendly and enjoyable. We use all rooms at the theatre and have two events running simultaneously on the Saturday and an open mic poetry reading in the bar/lounge on Friday evening. Langley is an urban village with post office, general store, cake shop, pubs, Indian restaurant. It has its own railway station with trains to Birmingham, Stourbridge,Kidderminster and Worcester and is close to the motorway.We have booked the theatre and now need the poets! Queries to ppatch66@hotmail.com, cheques made to Purple Patch, address above."

Purple Patch poetry magazine no 130 is now out, and contains Purple Patch’s best poets lists of 2011. £7 for three issues, £2.50 for a single issue.