JB
Speaker. Educator. Performance Poet. Comedy Writer. Script Writer. Voice Over Artist. Creative Consultant.
Hi
Bruntwood Prize Longlist 2022
“I Identify as an apostrophe because I’m only small, always up in the air, everyone gets me wrong and at times I am possessive.”
Jenny’s truthful wit mirrors today’s society with a stab of observational humour
Jenny is an award winner, in 2015 she won 1st place in ‘Venture First’ with Manchester Business School, winning £10k to set up her idea of poetry in prisons through a CIC. She did this for 4 years and now has developed this concept across NW Prisons as a freelancer.
Jenny’s popular performance poem ‘My Ex is Around The Corner’ made into a song.
Composed and Sung by Amy Webber
The Great Escape
Jenny’s chapbook written from experiences working as a prison poet. Published by Soulful Publishers
Words Behind Walls
An anthology created by prison staff in both Hull HMP and Manchester HMP. Jenny ran the creative writing programme in Manchester HMP. The programme was designed by Hull university as part of a wider research project.
Rochdale Town Hall Commission
Jenny was commissioned to write and narrate a spoken word piece to help mark the opening of Rochdale Town Hall. This was put to music by Dan Mawdesley and a light show by DBS solutions. The show was for 10 minutes and also showcased the start of a 6 day Festival ‘The Festival of Ideas’.
Jenny recently performed at The Royal Academy of London:
It was a tremendous privilege to have Jenny Berry speak and perform at our recent St Martin’s Challenge Awards event at the Royal Academy of Music.
Jenny’s work in prisons is well known and she brings a warmth and honesty that makes her immediately relatable to many people on the margins of society. Her ability to use words and stories to convey messages of inspiration and hope is not only highly effective but extremely laudable. Her efficiency, integrity and personable character also makes her a joy to work with.
Many people have contacted me since our most recent event in aid of the The Prisoners’ Education Trust expressing not only how much they enjoyed Jenny’s performance but also, and importantly, how much they learned from it too.
The addition of poetry and storytelling is, in my opinion, one of the most positive areas being brought into prisons and Jenny stands at the forefront of these new initiatives. Although exceptionally talented and creative, Jenny has the ability to make her work meaningful to all, regardless of the audience and I believe that to be a rare quality.
Jenny’s contribution to our recent event was a stunning example of her work. I will not hesitate to engage her again and I look forward to working with her in the future. My hope is that she is given more opportunities to inspire those who need it most.
Dr Lewis Owens
Founder, St Martin’s Challenge.
Projects
Current writing projects
- Scriptwriter for specialised academic ethnodrama scripts. Please see examples for latest commission for Manchester Metropolitan University research in ‘Fertility in The Workplace’. The scripts are used as training tools in the workplace, one of which is being used by Tommys Charity.
- Creative Writing Tutor for Hull University specialising in prison workshops for staff.
- Bespoke commissions for special events (Often including performances)
- ‘The Lowry Creative Writing Challenge’ Year 2
- Jenny is appointed to work in a Salford school to facilitate working creatively with teachers and children to build work up to enter into the Creative Writing Challenge 2024.
- Jenny is always writing comedic material to perform in her commissioned poetry/comedy sets. All inspired by the places she works and observational humour.
- Jenny has co-written TV and theatre scripts with Stephen Lord Salford actor and writer. Their play Bars N Birth received the Bruntwood Prize Longlist 2022.
- Jenny has co-written TV and theatre scripts with Stephen Lord Salford actor and writer. Their play Bars N Birth received the Bruntwood Prize Longlist 2022.
Performances
Jenny was commissioned to open and close Suicide Bereavement UK’s 2020 conference to an online audience worldwide. Here is a link to one of her poems ‘They Say Nout’.
Stand Up
As a writer/performer Jen finds herself in many different worlds stumbling across the most wonderful characters. Jenny uses comedy in different ways to explore and tell stories. Here is her most recent stand up.
Commissions
The Lowry
Suicide Bereavement UK
Homeless House
The Printworks
Triple C Theatre
Back On Track (Manchester)
Nelson & Colne Colleges
Tipp (Theatres in Prisons)
Pops (Partners of Prisoners)
Staffordshire Prison
Salford City Council
Specialised Poetry Workshops to help Vulnerable Communities
HMP Stafford
HMP Hindley
HMP Risley
HMP Thorne Cross
HMP Buckley Hall
HMP Styal
Forest Bank
Parc Prison
MASH (Manchester)
Back on Track (Manchester)
Emerging Futures
Alderbrook PRU
Barton Moss Secure Uni
Jenny is commissioned regularly across the arts and private sector as a: writer, poet, script writer, speaker, workshop facilitator, creative consultant on a range of projects.
Contact
Get In Touch
Let's have a chat!
info@your-own-words.com