Meet The Team. Satellite Of Love is run by a team of volunteers and we thought we should take a moment to introduce you to them.
Helen Sheppard
Hi – I’m a writer who worked as a midwife and travels the world in my kitchen. Stories about birth, health, loss, and those whose voices are often unheard excite me to write.
I started to write in my forties during a ‘kick start your reading’ class… ‘You, can write whatever’s in your head.’
Love listening to spoken words, recent performances are, Torriano Meeting House, Nuyorican Poets Cafe, Spork. Published widely. My poetry collection ‘Fontanelle’ was published in 2021 by Burning Eye Books.
I interview extraordinary poets for my Health Beat Poets Podcast. Poetry is all about community.
Social media
Twitter HelenSheppard7
Instagram helensheppard58
Marius Grose
Hello, I’m Marius Grose. I studied fine art at Bristol Polytechnic graduating in 1981. I then made a career shift into broadcast television and became a freelance editor. I’ve worked on factual and entertainment shows, documentaries and feature films.
I’ve always been drawn to story telling which is why I became an editor. I’ve written screenplays for film and television. I began writing poetry a bit later in my career although it has always been in my life in some way or other. I’ve had work published in a number of journals and online.
I have worked with poets making poetry films and music videos which can be viewed on my website.
Lisa Lopresti
Hello, I am Lisa Lopresti(she/her/they/them), a local poet from the ship-shape, statue-toppling City of Bristol with poetry published in magazines and anthologies such as Dreich, Acumen and Ink Sweat & Tears. I have a slimline poetry pamphlet, ‘Birdsong and Nectar in the Silences’ reviewed in Acumen as being ‘slightly uproarious.’ Often thrilled to be regularly broadcast on local BBC Radio though my hands still shake when I am feature poet at spoken word, open mic events, but love the poetry and wordsmith culture in Bristol. Welcome to Satellite of Love events, so looking forward to meeting you there.
Aiysha Humphreys
Aiysha is a poet and performer from Cornwall, living in Bristol.
They explore topics of mental illness, relationships, queerness, mixed heritage identity and oranges. They have gigged all over the South West, London and this year performed and worked in Romania with Tongue Fu exploring the relationship between music and spoken word. They are currently the poet in residence for the SS Great Britain.
Cal Wensley
Cal Wensley is our resident loud-mouth. They have been a part of the Bristol poetry scene for well over half a decade and have compered numerous events during that time, including Hammer & Tongue Bristol, Craftwords Open Mic, and Bristol Tonic.
‘I love being able to provide spaces for poets to find their voice. Bristol was the city I found mine in, and being able to give back to the community in my own over-the-top way is a privilege I don’t take for granted.’
Stella Quinlivan
Stella Quinlivan is one of the founding members of Satellite of Love. With a background in education and community development, she enjoys supporting arts in the community. From facilitating arts education courses and supporting activities for St Pauls Carnival, to overseeing Celebrating Age Festivals in Bristol and working with the Bristol Reggae Orchestra, Stella has organised events and supported the governance of community organisations.
Watching new poets develop, and experienced ones share their work and skills has been a joy to see.
Sophie Dumont
Sophie Dumont (she/her) is a poet, copywriter, sculptor and ex-canoe coach. Her poetry won the Brian Dempsey Memorial Prize 2021 and has been shortlisted for the Bridport Prize twice. Sophie has been widely published, such as in The Rialto, Magma, Ink Sweat and Tears, The Moth, Banshee, and Neon.
Sophie’s poetry is anchored in waterbodies and often features her beloved city rivers – Avon, Exe and Aire. She has been poet-in-residence on Bristol Harbourside with Boat Poets and was appointed 2022 writer-in-residence at Exeter Custom House by Literature Works. sophiedumont.co.uk
Sophie Dumont (She/Her)
Poet, Copywriter, Workshop facilitator