A POET inspired by his day job as a nurse spent the day with schoolchildren at their poetry event.

Soaring High Montessori School, in Coggeshall, invited Piers Harrison-Reid – also known as Piers the Poet – to work alongside youngsters and visitors.

Residents from Homeweave House and Prail Court joined the event as part of their regular visits to the school.

Piers is a performance poet inspired by his job as an accident and emergency nurse and stories of life and loss.

He is best known for his viral poem to the NHS, Love is for the brave, and has supported fellow poets Buddy Wakefield and Scroobius Pip.

The day was inspired by a previous poem Piers had been commissioned to write for the Warm and Toasty Club intergenerational project in Colchester.

He began by reciting his poem Home to the children, based on the memory of a child being evacuated during the Second World War.

He asked the children about memories of where they felt most safe and about their ‘flashbulb’ memories.

Principal Sarah Rowledge said: “What lucky children to have spent time with this inspiring young man who brought the power of words through poetry alive, with the bonus of having out friends from Prial Court retirement home in Coggeshall sharing their stories.

“Young and old alike found the poetry extremely emotive, a truly memorable experience for all involved.

"It was incredible to see how captivated the children were listening to and learning about the differences between their childhoods.

"The children were amazed at the distances some of our guests used to ride to school.

"The visit from Piers was positive on so many levels, bringing poetry alive with a young male pet, showing that poetry can evoke as many emotions as music and that in fact it doesn't even have to rhyme."