The Jamaican High Commissioner, Her Excellency Aloun Ndombet-Assamba, was Guest of honour for a poetry reading by Lorna Goodison to a capacity audience at Bristol Central Library in June. Lorna launched the inaugural Yardstick programme of black author talks in the Reading Room of Bristol Central Library. She is also Patron of Yardstick. Lorna read poems such as 'Windrush Sankey' - about post-war Jamaican emigration, and 'Ode to the Watchman' - an everyday occupation for retired Jamaican men.

Lorna said: 'Although my first love was art, I found that, over time, I began to trust in the quality of my writing and was encouraged by others to publish in Jamaican newspapers. I was happy to receive an invite from Yardstick as my themes, though often specific to Jamaica, are universal. I shall remember with deep fondness my reading in Bristol for Jamaica 50.'

Lorna, who was born in Jamaica, has received many awards for her writing, including the Commonwealth Poetry Prize (Americas Region) and the Jamaica 50 Cultural Medal of Honour. Bertel Martin, coordinator of Yardstick, said: 'We produced an exciting programme of library events and were delighted to be able to kick off the programme with our patron. For readers familiar with the work of the writers in the programme, this is a rare opportunity to meet them face to face and a chance to immerse yourself in stories from the African Diaspora.’

Community Engagement Manager for Bristol libraries Asif Khan, said: 'The government body leading the Jamaica 50 celebrations recognised the significance of our Yardstick event by publishing a link to the photographs on their Facebook page and Twitter account.' Lorna also led on a poetry master class with writers at Bristol Central Library. The Yardstick talks include Ben Okri, Rommi Smith and Nii Ayikwei Parkes.