Paper Trails is our ambitious multi-year libraries project, celebrating the work that these vibrant cultural hubs do in the local community. So much more than lending services, libraries play a vital role in making literature accessible, in tackling the UK’s deepening literacy crisis, combatting social isolation, and supporting community life. And we want to showcase and support that.

That’s why we’re so excited to be partnering with Edinburgh Libraries, working together to co-design bold creative experiences with five libraries across the city that speak to the specific needs of each community they serve. Think storytelling circles, creative writing workshops, in-conversation events, and so much more. Over the course of the Paper Trails project, we’ll work with a wide range of groups including young people, older adults, and those facing homelessness, so keep an eye out as we share more of where this project takes us.

To kick things off, we thought we’d introduce you to our Care Home Writers-in-Residence team. Since early October 2025, Ellen Renton, Julie McNeill, Ken Cockburn, and Xana Marwick have been running creative sessions in eight residential care homes across the city, working in tandem with the Mobile Library’s visits to these homes. The focus of each session – though each takes a slightly different shape depending on the needs of each home – has been on using shared reading as a way into storytelling, reminiscence, and conversation.

We’ve seen a really warm response so far from both the care home staff and the residents. Some stand out moments include Ellen Renton reading Wordsworth’s ‘I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud’ aloud to the group at Marionville Court which led to a lively conversation about nature and the residents’ favourite parks (one gentleman remembering visiting the Botanic Gardens in Singapore on his way to visit family New Zealand). Another memorable session was Xana Marwick’s workshop on limericks at St. Raphael’s, leading to a hilarious group poem about the residents going on a (somewhat riotous) day trip to Mars.

We’ll be sharing more about the Paper Trails projects in the coming months (and years!), but in the meantime, find out a bit about the team below:

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Paper Trails Writers-in-Residence:

Ellen Renton is a poet from Edinburgh whose work varies in form and has included film, installation, music, and theatre. She released the pamphlet ‘An Eye For An Eye For An Eye’ with Stewed Rhubarb Press, and the album My Noise is Nothing with electronic musician and DJ Lord of the Isles.

Julie McNeill is a poet and facilitator based in Glasgow. She’s the Poet-in-Residence for St Mirren Football Club Charitable Trust and the Gaffer of The Hampden Collection, set up to preserve and protect Scotland’s footballing heritage. Julie is the author of the award winning non-fiction books for children Mission Dyslexia, and three poetry collections. The latest, Love Goes North, was published by Luath Press in August 2025. Her work has been commissioned by BBC Sport Scotland, BBC Learn, Edinburgh City of Literature, the Scottish Poetry Library, Push the Boat Out festival, Kirkcudbright Fringe, and Edinburgh International Book Festival. Her poem ‘War’ was named one of the Best Scottish Poems in 2023 and she won the Burrell Collection Hidden Gems Poetry Competition in 2024. She is an Open Book Lead Reader and edits for Drunk Muse Press and the Poets’ Republic magazine.

Ken Cockburn is a poet and translator based in Edinburgh. After several years at the Scottish Poetry Library, since 2004 he has freelanced, working in education, care and community settings, and often collaborating with visual artists. He also runs Edinburgh Poetry Tours, guided walks with readings of poems in the city’s Old Town.

Xana Marwick is an award-winning writer and participation specialist based in Edinburgh, Scotland. After leaving school aged fifteen, she later went on to study at the Royal Conservatoire for Scotland, and has been nominated for (and sometimes even won!) various awards and residencies, including the highly competitive BBC Writersroom, Dramaroom scheme. Xana’s theatre work has been seen throughout the UK and internationally: and she has written across a variety of television productions, including all five series of BAFTA-nominated Molly and Mack. Xana has a particular interest in finding the magic and humour in stories about people who have been let-down, left-behind or left-out, often inspired by the people she has met through her work with socially excluded communities, and by her own life.

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Paper Trails Trainee Artists:

For this care home project, our Writers in Residence have been assisted by two early career artists looking to develop their experience of working creatively with older people.

Lucy Lauder (she/her) is a writer originally from the Scottish Borders now living in Glasgow, her work has previously been published by Gutter Magazine, Discount Guillotine and Crisp Packet Poetry. Lucy studied at the University of Glasgow from 2019-2024, gaining an MA in Scottish and English Literature, and an MLitt in Modernities. Lucy was recently awarded a scholarship to undertake a 250 hour Yoga Facilitation Training with Form! and RESET, with an eye to developing her creative practice for therapeutic uses with diverse audiences. Lucy is also an editor of the DIY publishing project, BigRedCat Zine.

Huw Turnbull (he/him), is an Edinburgh-based playwright, drama facilitator, and Playwriting MSc graduate. His work focuses on grief, masculinity, mental health, belonging, community and the climate crisis. Folklore, mythology, literature and pop-culture often form the springboard for his writing, creating pieces that play with these existing narratives and themes. He is interested in intersecting “popular” genres with theatre’s propensity for socio-political commentary and community building. Community is not only a central theme of Huw’s work, but also a core value of his artistic and facilitatory practice. As his conception of theatre is grounded in community, he strongly believes that theatre should be for everyone, not a privileged few. Huw’s work has recently been performed at the Edinburgh Fringe, Duns Playfest and the Gateway Festival.