Matt was born in Withington, Manchester, and grew up in Cheadle, Stockport, where he still lives now with his wife, Joanna, and children, Will and Daisy (and Woody the Golden Retriever and Jessie the very fat cat.) He was supposed to be a rock star - and spent many years trying to be one until he realised he was actually pretty rubbish at music. He put the guitar down and became a primary school teacher, working in an East Manchester school for over 10 years. The songs he used to write in bands became poems for the children in his classes. Eventually Matt's poems started to get published and he went part time as a teacher, part time as a poet in schools. After a couple of years, he went full time - and now poets all over the UK and beyond. Matt is proud to be a National Poetry Day Ambassador for the Forward Arts Foundation. Matt has worked with all sorts of different people including The Premier League, The National Literacy Trust and many more...