Meet Jazmine

Have you watched our Christmas advert yet? At the heart of it is a powerful spoken word poem that’s warm, nostalgic and full of feeling. The words are written by Jazmine, a 24-year-old local creative who is passionate about showing that poetry is for everyone and that the High Street is about so much more than shopping.

Jazmine has loved poetry for as long as she can remember. Growing up with her grandparents, she was often taken to charity shops where they would buy her poetry collections and storybooks. Those early memories sparked a lifelong love of words.

My grandparents always bought me books. Poetry, stories, whatever they could find. I just loved it. It’s something that’s always stayed with me.

As she grew older, Jazmine began writing her own poetry and discovered spoken word. A key moment came when she attended an event run by Run Your Tongue in Kettering and performed her first poem.

I fell in love with it straight away! Someone came up to me afterwards and told me I should carry on, and that I had a talent. That meant everything.

While studying at university in Leicester, Jazmine became part of the spoken word scene there, regularly attending a local group where she made great connections and her confidence and love for poetry and performance grew even more.

After returning to Rushden, Jazmine noticed something was missing. Despite knowing there were people locally with stories to tell, there was no poetry group in the town or local area.

I knew there were people around here with so much talent, and they needed a space where they could feel comfortable, supported and heard.

In October 2024, Jazmine launched Rushden Rhymes, a monthly spoken word open mic evening held at Scribble Studio in Rushden. Jazmine runs the group entirely herself, and it has quickly grown in popularity, with between 10 and 30 people attending each month, aged 18 and over, with the oldest attendee being in their 80s!

Rushden Rhymes is a welcoming, supportive space where people can read their work if they want to or simply sit and listen.

You don’t have to perform, some people come along just to be in the room, and that’s just as important. People think poetry has to be a certain way, or that it’s not for them, but it can be anything. You don’t even have to write it, just listening can bring so much joy.

The group has helped many people grow in confidence, using poetry as an outlet for emotion, creativity and connection. One attendee has even gone on to publish her first book, with Jazmine supporting her throughout the process.

I honestly feel like a proud mum sometimes! Seeing people go from being really shy to standing up and sharing their work is incredible

Creativity has always been a big part of Jazmine’s life as way to express herself. Alongside poetry, she loves drawing, painting, photography and collage, and sees creativity as a powerful way to express emotion and work through grief. She often models for a local life drawing class too!

When Jazmine was approached to write the spoken word poem for our Hi Street Christmas advert, she felt honoured, and excited that poetry was being given a chance.

It felt really special that my poetry was trusted to tell this story. There’s so much more to it than people realise, and it’s amazing that it’s being put in the spotlight.

Her ‘What Does Christmas Mean To You?’ poem is deeply personal, inspired by her grandparents’ love of shopping locally and the traditions they passed down to her. While filming at PW House Jewellers in Rushden, Jazmine was flooded with memories of visiting the shop with her nan as a child, a moment that found its way directly into the poem.

I pictured myself in all the scenes while I was writing, because the places mean something to me. I still shop in these places now, and one day I hope to take my children too.

Written from the heart, Jazmine’s poem beautifully captures the spirit of our Christmas campaign where we celebrate connection, nostalgia and the importance of supporting local businesses and communities, as well as reminding people of the magic of the High Street.

We want to say a huge thank you to Jazmine for sharing her words, her talent and her passion, and for everything she continues to give back through Rushden Rhymes.

If you’ve ever been curious about poetry, Jazmine has one simple message:

Just give it a go. Come along, listen, see what happens. You never know where it might lead.

Rushden Rhymes meet on the last Friday of every month at Scribble Studio in Rushden from 7pm to 9pm. It features a variety of special guest poets from across the UK and is a platform for local poets and storytellers to share their work. It is a welcoming space for both new and experienced performers.

Visit the Rushden Rhymes Facebook page to find out more.

Last updated 18 December 2025