1. We heard some spectacular poetry. My favourite was Josh Idehen, a performance poet who delighted his audience with a poem about what Gandalf, of Lord of the Rings fame, might have been like if he’d been from Hackney, inspiring the hashtag #bringontheeagles to be used when anything mildly annoying takes place. Read the poem here, and see Josh in action here.
2. While I’m on the subject of poetry, I can’t let Pádraig Ó Tuama slip by without a mention. Just listening to his voice takes you to a more peaceful place. Lots of audio to download from his website — go listen now!
3. Greenbelt introduced me to the work of Thistle Farms — a social enterprise making bath and body products. It’s run by a women’s residential programme called Magdalene, and the women employed there are survivors of prostitution, trafficking, addiction and life on the streets.
4. Sinead O’Connor might just be my new hero. She was the only musical act I’d really heard of before going and she was magnificent. She played her latest single which could have been written for Greenbelt — take me to church (but not the ones that hurt).
5. Finally, I have to include a wee Exeter punk band called the Cut Ups — who played a magnificent energy fuelled set which reminded me of how much I miss live rock music!

So many more highlights I could have mentioned but that’s it for now!