Jerwood Library Celebrates 25 Years: Student Creativity Honoured in Writing Competition

Abby’s winning poem delves into the profound exploration of self. In the words of her poem:

I am leaving my body for an extended period of time,

for refurbishments

to verdate into moss

to become derelict in nature

while I roam, abandoning myself

to fields and long mornings and the smell

of summer evenings

Mary Hockaday, herself an alumna of Trinity Hall, expressed admiration for the library, describing it as a “thing of such beauty and grace.” She acknowledged the importance of the library as both a workspace and a repository of knowledge, emphasizing the celebration of creativity on this special occasion. She also expressed some jealousy that the Jerwood Library was not available to her when she was an undergraduate.

Reflecting on the library’s creation, architect Tristan Rees Roberts, an alumnus, shared the challenges he faced in creating something on what was just a gardeners’ compound next to Q staircase. The Jerwood Library, with its unique features stands today as a testament to his dedication and vision.

Abby shared her personal connection to the poem. “It looks at the dissociation we sometimes feel with our own bodies. It was quite scary performing in public, but the feedback has been positive,” she said. Abby, an enthusiast of old film, plans to use her prize money either for a May Week ball ticket (a treat for her final year) or to support her hobby by buying camera film.

Looking back at her time at Trinity Hall, Abby expressed fond memories of returning from her year in Paris: “Being here was like coming home.”

Beyond her studies and writing, she is actively involved in hockey, playing for the University seconds and captaining the College hockey team.

Pictured(l-r): Rachel Ngai, Emil Cadwaladr Evans, Mary Hockaday and Abby Reeves