Tonight I watched a few members of my Roath Writers group read work from our very first anthology, To the pub and back again, at Waterloo Gardens Teahouse. As I sat sipping my cucumber water and listening to their poems and stories I could not help but think about how far we’ve come.

I never imagined, back in the days when starting a writers group was just a nice idea, that Roath Writers would see so much success.  I never dreamed that I would meet dozens of amazing, quirky, funny, and understanding people. And, I never believed that the group could become a real fixture in the community, both at the Gate and beyond.

Now, full of courgette cake and a potent mixture of pride and gratitude, I cannot wait to see where the next year will take us. I am far too sentimental to do these feelings justice today so for those of you who would like to see where we have been please enjoy the introduction I wrote for our anthology as well as some photos of our most recent adventures:

“Before the first session of Roath Writers I jotted down these lines in my notebook: “Share what you love and hope they love it too”. I was nervous. I had never started a group like this before and had no idea what to expect. In my mind, there was a very real chance I would be taking my bag full of poems into an empty room. Lucky for me, this didn’t happen.

The first session was packed with people – friends, writers, curious neighbors, and a few locals just looking to spice up their Monday night. It was great.

Over the last year, the group has continued to grow and provide a welcoming space for writers of all levels – new and published alike. Together, we have read poetry, prose, and memoir and written about everything from our childhoods to modern art. Members have led their own sessions, workshopped each other’s pieces, and enjoyed their fair share of evenings at the pub.

This is the first, of what I hope will be many, Roath Writers’ anthologies. Members were invited to submit pieces that were written or inspired by our sessions. Therefore, this anthology acts as a celebration of the varied and interesting work we have produced over the last year.

Roath Writers is open to everyone so if you like what you read then please come along! For more information, feel free to join our Facebook group or follow us on Twitter @RoathWriters.

Thank you to everyone who has come along to Roath Writers over the past year. Your support and creativity is humbling. I cannot wait to see what more there is to come.”