Oswestry writer receives Queen's letter for Jubilee poem

Sarah Joy Holden, from Oswestry, had written a poem and draw a portrait for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee back in February 2022, with no intention to send them to the monarch at first.

Pushed by her friends and family, Sarah decided that she would have nothing to lose if she send them, so she did mail them over in April.

She said: "I waited two months for a reply, and I started to look online, where I saw that she receives an average of 300 pieces of mail a day."

But a week after the Jubilee weekend, after Sarah got home from her writing group, she saw the envelope.

Sarah added: "At first the envelope was flipped so I could not see, but then when I turned it over it said it was from the Buckingham Palace.

"I could not believe it, I called my parents, I called my friends, everyone was so proud.

"I am thrilled that the head of the country has not only replied but potentially read my works, The Queen is an icon."

Sarah Joy suffers from Cerebral Palsy, which made doctors believe that she will never be able to read or write properly, but she defeated the odds with the support of her family.

Her passion for writing started young, and in college she wanted to become a journalist, and she loves writing poems about current affairs.

Sarah is an active member of the church, and volunteers at the hospital, and also writes one to two poems per day.

"I was told I would not achieve much, writing and everyday tasks would be a challenge, but I quickly overcame that with the confidence and Christian beliefs," she added.

The poem she sent to the Queen.

"I am one of those people that doesn't let their disability define them, it's just not all that I am, and I am so grateful for my friends and family that have always pushed me to do more."

She has been keeping a daily journal since 2016, which soon turned into a book full of poems and other pieces of creative writing, which she published in 2021.

In 2017, Sarah met Claire, and she introduced her to the WoW - a group of writing and crafts.

Meeting regularly to create in an environment with like-minded individuals, helped the writer overcome her fears and anxiety, and she even started reading her poems out loud to the group.

Sarah said: "This was a great platform for me overcoming my nerves and able to read my works aloud really gave me encouragement."

She even started posting videos of herself on Facebook, where she would read out her work.

Claire added: "Sarah is a prolific writer, you give her a topic, any topic and she will write anything about it. She is really good, she is really intelligent and really has a way with words."

After achieving her dream of publishing her first book back in December 2021, "Princess Joy, Writer Not in Rhyme", she is now pulling together more material for a second book, while also trying to find a publisher.

"I feel a sense of pride, that my family and friends are pleased for me in this achievement, and I will carry on writing about Her Majesty, and more courageous to send her my work."