A POET who left school with no qualifications and took up writing verse to cope with the tragic death of his best friend delivered an inspiring presentation to pupils at a Derby school as part of National Careers Week.
Ripley-born Michael Markham, known as ‘Rhythmical Mike’, spoke to Year 8 and Year 9 pupils at The Bemrose School, in Uttoxeter New Road, in order to inspire and motivate young people.
He shared his story so that others can learn from his mistakes and set themselves on the right path, saying that finding a passion ‘will lead to their purpose in life’.
Mikey was diagnosed with dyslexia in primary school and so his love for literacy was not always apparent. He left Mill Hill School – now Ripley Academy – at the age of 15 with no qualifications and then worked on his family farm and at Thornton’s factory in Somercotes, where he packed chocolates.
When he was 17, he travelled to Australia and Asia before ending up in South Africa where he began work at a primate sanctuary, researching the behaviour of monkeys.
One day he received a phone call from his dad, telling him of the death of one of his close friends following a knife attack in Derby but, where once he would have dealt with the loss by drinking alcohol, this time he turned to journaling to express his feelings on paper.
Mikey said “The only thing I had was a pen and paper, so this is what I used to deal with my feelings. I wrote everything down and although I didn’t intend it that way, it ended up being quite rhythmical.
“Writing suddenly felt like a superpower.”
After his visa ran out, Mikey felt confident in returning home where he performed a poem about his friend’s death for his dad, which reduced his dad to tears.
This experience encouraged Mikey to pursue his new-found passion for poetry and spoken word as a career, which has led to him becoming a poet in residence for Leicester City FC and sharing the stage at festivals with acts including The Streets, Russell Brand and the Rizzle Kicks.
He has since also worked with former footballer and host of BBC One Show Jermaine Jenas and created a mental health group for men and young boys.
Mikey also set up The Old Farm Bus project in his hometown of Ripley, hosting workshops, music and arts events for young people on three converted buses.
Mikey said: “I never felt accepted as a young person, and I made mistakes, but it wasn’t until I found my passion that I felt I had a purpose in life. Mistakes are what make us and help us to find our passion and purpose which will drastically transform our lives.
“My top tips are learn to listen, because there are some people out there who are more experienced than you and genuinely know more than you, and realise you’re already enough.
“Learn about yourself and develop your identity. What works for you might not be for everyone. Challenge yourself but, most of all, be kind. You don’t know where someone is on their journey.”
Claire Amos, careers lead at The Bemrose School, said: “Mikey was here to motivate and inspire pupils, reigniting a passion for poetry.
“His story is pretty incredible and it was a pleasure to welcome him to The Bemrose School.
“It has been a great week and I also got the chance to visit two of our Year 11 students who are Rolls-Royce Young Apprentices to discuss their journey whilst at Rolls-Royce and their future career pathway.”
Other speakers who visited the school throughout the week included Kerry Laffan, who is part of the Commercial Education Team from DREEM, working within the Queens Medical Centre. She spoke to Year 11 GCSE Health & Social Care students about routes into the sector and the range of career possibilities within the NHS.
