U. A. Fanthorpe (1929 – 2009) was a prolific British poet known for her unique journey into writing. After attending St Anne’s College Oxford and becoming the Head of English at Cheltenham Ladies’ College, she took an unconventional path by becoming a receptionist at a psychiatric hospital. This experience provided the inspiration for her first book, Side Effects. Fanthorpe's poetic career took off from there, resulting in 9 full-length collections, including the Forward Prize-nominated Safe as Houses and the Poetry Book Society Recommendation Consequences. Her remarkable contributions earned her a CBE in 2001 and the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry in 2003.