Not On Our Green Belt is an anthology by twenty-three of Britain’s best contemporary poets, united against green belt development.
Edited by Lindsey Holland, it includes poems by: Brian Wake, Janet Rogerson, Alyson Hallett, Geraldine Monk, Sarah Hymas, David Morley, Cathy Bryant, Lindsey Holland, Polly Atkin, Mark Burnhope, Ira Lightman, Andrew Taylor, JT Welsch, Matt Fallaize, Valerie Laws, Alec Newman, Sarah James, Andrew Forster, Geraldine Green, Angela Topping, Susan Richardson, Steven Waling and Penelope Shuttle.
Green Belts
Green belt land is often rich in wildlife, having been untouched, in most cases, for centuries. Those of us who live in or visit these areas view them as part of our identities, or as necessary to our well-being.
Green belts were created to protect rural areas and villages from development, unless there are ‘exceptional circumstances’. Despite this, thousands of houses are being built on these unspoilt spaces, across the country, when there are other viable options. Once these landscapes have gone, it will be impossible to get them back.
The Anthology
Our aim is to make this anthology available to everyone, and as close to free as possible. We hope that it will be given to people who are directly affected by green belt development, to people who live in cities or towns but who enjoy visiting rural areas, and to anyone who loves the British countryside. It is, for us, less about political wrangling and more about speaking out – because this land is crucial to us; it must not be effaced.
Getting hold of it
There is a £3 minimum donation for the anthology. This is to cover postage, with any extra going towards production costs. You can order copies by clicking the Not On Our Green Belt Paypal donation button to the right of this page. If you believe that our green belts need protecting, please consider a larger donation. We aim to print a lot more copies, but we do need donations if we’re to make this happen.
Campaigners
We encourage campaigners around the country to contact us regarding large orders. Our own recent experience has shown that people are delighted to receive these books as part of a campaign in their area – poetry brings a hope and an energy which political campaign materials cannot.
North West Poets 