Welsh voices

An early celebration for Dydd Dewi Sant (St. David's Day)! New Bohemians on Friday saw a very pleasant evening with appropriate poetry, a couple of musical interludes, wine, Welsh cakes and bara brith, and a rousing rendition of  Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau. Sharon Larkin Jones was headlining the event, with Adam McGee from Swansea and ex-pats Vicki Hampton and Aled Thomas adding their lyrical voices before the interval; afterwards the open mic continued the Welsh theme. If only Wales had done as well against Scotland at Murrayfield yesterday ...

l to r : Adam McGee, Vicki Hampton,
 Aled Thomas, Sharon Larkin Jones

Surveying the scene

Out with the dog on a local hill this afternoon we followed a slightly different track from that which we normally take and stumbled on a lovely walk, quite new to us despite having lived very close to it for 22 years. What really struck me as we explored the path in some welcome February sunshine was the different slant we then had on a very familiar view out over the Severn valley - and that started me thinking about revising manuscripts, about looking at a familiar piece of work from a different standpoint, getting another perspective on it.

Because revising is what I am now into, having at last finished the first draft of the family chronicles! I actually finished ten days ago but put it aside to have a bit of breathing space before launching into the next phase. Several of the early chapters were written some eighteen months ago and, in the light of how later ones have developed, need some reworking. I can't remember who it was who said "Life can only be understood backwards - the problem is that it has to be lived forwards." For me, though, the same often holds true for a concerted piece of writing - it's only on its completion that the overall picture comes into perspective, that the shape and feel of it become apparent and I can get a proper grip on it! So I'm striking out along that different path now ...

Telling stories

A few years ago I spent many months working with older people in nursing homes and community settings to help them put together their life stories; some chose to do it pictorially, others in written form. It was a fascinating and a humbling experience, to be taken into the confidence of people as they re-lived their lives, the good and the bad days, the happy and far from it.

Sandra and Tony Jeans from the Charlton Kings Community Players have used similar material collected from older people living in Cheltenham to put together a play currently running at St. Edwards School Performance Hall and for which I'm doing Front of House. "Some Sunny Day" is based on the lived and recounted experience of many people from the years around the Second World War, and covers both the everyday occurrences and the outstanding moments. With songs from the war years to join in with and an extensive exhibition of memorabilia to browse, audiences have thoroughly enjoyed the production, the proceeds from which are all going towards two local charities, the Great Western Air Ambulance and Severn Freewheelers.

How important it is that people have the opportunity to tell their stories - and how important it is that these are recorded. There is so much that is extraordinary in ordinary lives - and what a tragedy if that is lost to future generations. I'm hoping to resume work with older people in care settings later this year - and I know that I'll get as much from hearing and writing their stories as they will from telling them.

Moving on

Tuesday was a brilliant, blue-sky day; I walked the dog in warm sunshine on Crickley Hill almost deafened by birdsong, with the Romantic poets reeling through my mind. But that hint of spring seems to have been more than a little premature and this morning's walk was back in more usual garb - thermals, scarf and fleece! At least it's lighter in the mornings and for longer in the afternoons, though, and the snowdrops and crocuses are much in evidence, so it can't be that much longer ...

And there have been some stimulating events this week to move the mind on too. Under the auspices of Cheltenham Poetry Society, Sharon Larkin is running a twelve month "Kickstart" poetry course, based on Jo Bell's book "52. Write A Poem A Week. Start Now. Keep Going" (Nine Arches Press). Tuesday evening saw thirteen of us at this month's workshop, reading a wide variety of work based on the prompts from the early chapters - an interesting session. Then last night Smokey Joes coffee bar hosted "Flashers Club", the quarterly event recently begun by Alex Clark for writers of flash fiction. Headlined by Tyler Keevil who runs the undergraduate creative writing programme at the University of Gloucestershire, eight other contributions came from debut as well as seasoned "flashers". Photos and brief biographies of the participants will be on the club blog if you're interested - www.flashersclub.wordpress.com

An advance invitation - if you're free at 7.30pm on Friday February 24th, do join us at New Bohemians at deepspace arts centre, Hamilton Street, Charlton Kings. A few days before St. David's Day, the evening will celebrate "Voices From Wales" with Sharon Larkin, Vicki Hampton, Adam Magee and Aled Thomas. I shall be opening the second half of the evening for the open mic session. Tickets are £6.50 on the door and include interval refreshments (Welsh themed of course!). Do hope to see you there.