Be Heard: Words Beyond Walls – Luton
A public event using story, poetry and dialogue to bring together community voices, literacy, justice and healing in one shared space.
Developed for Black History Month 2026 and tied to World Mental Health Day, this event invites young people, families, professionals and partners to read, listen and think together about violence, safety, masculinity, belonging and repair.
About the event
Be Heard: Words Beyond Walls – Luton is a Black History Month 2026 event designed to centre Black and minoritised voices in Bedfordshire through story, poetry, reflection, reading, listening and public dialogue. Bringing together community organisations, literacy partners, justice voices, young people, families and creative practitioners, it creates a serious but welcoming space to explore violence, safety, masculinity and belonging.
We are holding the event on Saturday 10 October 2026, 10:00am–3:00pm, tying it to World Mental Health Day and the National Literacy Trust’s Take 10 to Read campaign. The aim is to create a thoughtful, accessible and community-rooted space where reading, listening and reflection become pathways into wellbeing, empathy, dialogue and change. It is designed not simply to speak about communities, but to be shaped with and through them, creating space for voice, witness, accountability, healing and possibility.
Who it is for
The event is aimed particularly at young people and low-income families in Luton, especially those already reached through Squash It, Be a Safe Ally and related work, and those affected directly or indirectly by domestic and sexual violence, silence, exclusion and harmful ideas about masculinity.
It will also create space for literacy partners, community organisations, justice practitioners, educators, public services and wider audiences who want to engage seriously and humanely with questions of safety, belonging and being heard.
How it connects
Be Heard: Words Beyond Walls – Luton is being developed in partnership with the National Literacy Trust and aligns with the National Year of Reading 2026.
It also links into Bedfordshire Police’s Be Heard and Male Violence Against Women and Girls work, creating a live, community-facing platform for prevention, trust-building and meaningful conversation.
Wider ecology
The event builds on Butterflies in Shades of Grey and The Our House Series, including Who Killed Eve?, Where’s Adam? and Who Helped Eve?.
It extends that body of work into a public Black History Month platform where community voice, literacy, justice, healing and cultural reflection can meet in one space.
Programme elements
The programme we are shaping will bring together youth voice, public dialogue, justice perspectives and creative reflection.
- Youth-generated writing developed through Bedfordshire Voices.
- Anonymised “voices from justice” drawn from prison and criminal justice writing work.
- A panel discussion on Being Heard in the System.
- A live reading by Naz Knight.
- Workshops using Our House materials to explore voice, witness, responsibility and repair.
- Opportunities for connection between young people, families, literacy partners and justice-linked professionals.
Why this matters
Many people affected by violence, silence, fear, exclusion and unequal life chances are spoken about more often than they are truly heard. This event responds by creating a structured but welcoming public space where people can read, listen, reflect and contribute.
By bringing together poetry, dialogue and literacy-led participation, the day supports wellbeing, empathy and community connection while opening serious conversation around masculinity, safety, belonging and the systems that shape people’s lives.
Suggested running order
A 10:00am–3:00pm format gives enough time for arrivals, framing, performances, panel discussion, workshops, a break and a meaningful closing.
Be there or be part of it
We are inviting partners, supporters, community organisations, literacy champions, funders, justice and public-sector colleagues, and those who care about young people, wellbeing and safer futures to join us for this event and, where appropriate, help shape it.
If you would like to attend, support, host conversation, contribute to the programme or explore how this work could be adapted for other settings, we would love to hear from you.