RIDDLESDEN residents spoke to members of Keighley’s Green Drinks group about their efforts to protect toads crossing the road.

The village’s Toad Patrol went along to the monthly social gathering for people interested in environmental and socially-conscious issues.

The Patrollers invited this month’s Green Drinks guest, Si Pi the Poetry Guy, to join them at the Toad Summit in Halifax next January to perform poems about the common toad.

Si is a ‘spontaneous poet’, and following his stint as resident poet for the Croft House care home in Eastburn, he is now ready to serve Keighley.

At the Green Drinks gathering at the Café Choux Choux, he was inspired to create a poem following a table discussion about social enterprise in Keighley.

He also agreed to write a poem to publicise Fairmondo, an ethical sales platform whose activities were outlined to Green Drinks members.

Fairmondo plans to incorporate services operated by good local businesses and social enterprises, with a focus on Keighley East ward.

Shaun O’Hare is one of the Green Drinks organisers as well as being coordinator of regeneration group Keighley Big Local.

He said: "Si can write poems about anything for anyone. He is most at home when rhyming and appreciates the art of timing.

“He is now increasingly involved in Big Local projects and hopes he can inspire the local Keighley community with his performances and words.”