One by one, children from Horizon Youth Zone stood and read a line each from AMBITION, the poem written by Poet Laureate Simon Armitage, on National Poetry Day. Their voices carried Grimsby’s bid to become the UK’s first Town of Culture, and the reading closed on the poem’s final message: “Step forward: The future starts at your feet.”
For the young readers, all members of Horizon Youth Zone, the performance was more than a school exercise. It placed them at the centre of GY28, the town’s Town of Culture campaign, which describes Grimsby as a place “where the strongest stories begin” and captures the spirit, resilience and determination of the people who live there.
The poem sits at the heart of that campaign. Its theme runs through the bid itself: culture is not only about celebrating the past, but about empowering the next generation to shape what comes next.
The story the children helped tell is one the town knows well. The GY28 submission, sent earlier this year, traces Grimsby’s history from the legend of Grim, the Danish fisherman said to have founded the town, through generations of dock workers who met the sea’s harsh rhythms with courage and humour. It describes a community that has continually embraced togetherness, determination and creativity, turning challenges into opportunities and building a future full of potential.
That story has carried the town further than many expected. Grimsby is now in the final stage of the competition, one of only fifteen towns remaining from 398 original entries. It sits on a shortlist of four in the large towns category, alongside Basildon, Birkenhead and Rotherham. The final bid must be submitted by 30 November 2026, with the winner announced in March 2027.
What is at stake is tangible. The winning town will receive £3 million to deliver a six-month programme of cultural events and activities in 2028, while two runner-up towns will each receive £250,000.
For Lucy Ottewell-Key, Chief Executive of Horizon Youth Zone, the bid is a chance to put local voices first. “Every place carries its own story,” she said. “In Grimsby, that story is one of resilience, community and ambition. Our bid to become the UK’s Town of Culture is a powerful opportunity to elevate the voices of our young people, celebrate our rich heritage, and showcase to the rest of the country exactly what our town is made of.”
Meanwhile, the poetry reading itself can be viewed on the council’s social media channels, and the full performance is described at https://www.nelincs.gov.uk/young-voices-bring-grimsbys-town-of-culture-bid-to-life-through-powerful-poetry-performance/.
As the town rallies behind the bid, residents, businesses, community groups and young people are all being encouraged to take part. People can share a story, send a message of support, attend an event or simply spread the word, and organisers stress that every contribution helps. Those who want to do more can complete the GY28 Town of Culture public survey online, or find out how to become a GY28 Ambassador at www.GY28.co.uk. The campaign can also be followed on social media, including Instagram at @grimsby2028, Facebook at Grimsby2028, LinkedIn at Grimsby 2028 and X at @Grimsby2028.
For the children who read Armitage’s words aloud, the message they delivered may prove to be the campaign’s simplest and most fitting summary: the future starts at your feet.