A selection of protest placards for tomorrow’s workshop.
Tomorrow I will be bringing a new workshop on Protest and Conflict to the Falinge Park Writing Group in Rochdale. The group meets every Thursday morning from 10am to noon at the Community Hub in Falinge Park. Everyone is welcome regardless of prior writing experience.
In this workshop we will look at the role of writing in protest and conflict and look at examples from history and more recent work. There will be a focus on poetry but those attending will be supported to write in whatever for they prefer.
The park is just a 15 minute walk from Rochdale Interchange, and for those driving, parking is available in the park for these sessions, just drive in through the gate at the bottom of Sheriff Street and follow the drive to the tarmac area in front of the house.
Rochdale poet, writer and workshop facilitator, Eileen Earnshaw, runs the Falinge Park Writing Group and has led several writing projects in Bolton after completing her BA Honours Degree in Creative Writing at Bolton University. This workshop is suitable for anyone interested in starting to write poetry and those who are relatively new to writing.
Eileen’s track record in helping new writers to gain confidence will ensure and engaging and inclusive workshop where everyone will leave with new knowledge and some new poetry.
Freeform Poetry – Gaia Holmes
Calderdale poet, Gaia Holmes, has won several awards for her poetry and was recently awarded a fellowship by the Arts Foundation Futures, for her place writing. Gaia is an experienced workshop facilitator who always brings positivity and fresh viewpoints to her sessions.
This Freeform Poetry session is aimed at those who want to develop their writing and look at new approaches to their poetry. Participants are sure to enjoy the session and leave with some new writing.
Polish and Perfect – Seamus Kelly
Littleborough based poet and artist, Seamus Kelly, has led a number of successful writing projects including the 2022 Poetry in the Park project in Littleborough with a series of workshops culminating in the publication of a large print poetry book of the participants’ work.
This workshop is suitable for those who have written some poetry and would like to finds ways to polish it and prepare it for publication or performance. The workshop will include techniques for using a microphone while reading your polished words.
Poetry performance – 12:00 to 1:00pm
Following the workshops there will be a performance session in Hare Hill House where participants, and perhaps workshop leaders, will share some of their words.
On Thursday I will be delivering a brand new creative writing workshop, Kodachrome to Monochrome, for Writers on Tap. Formerly the Touchstones Creative Writing Group, the group now meet at The Medicine Tap in Rochdale on the first Thursday of the month from 2:00pm to 4:00pm. ‘
The workshop will look at tone, colour and details in creative writing with prompts and exercises to encourage some new writing. All are welcome and all genres of writing are encouraged. The picture above is one of a selection to be used as prompts.
Many thanks to all of those who attended our launch today. Extra thanks to Nick from Hare Hill House for making us so welcome and set up to room for us, and I especially admire the upside down Christmas Tree.
With tea and coffee and a table of home made cakes, proving that some of our poets are also excellent bakers, the 40 strong audience settled down to listen to an introduction from Elizabeth White, Chair of Create and Connect who organised the project. Elizabeth spoke about the motivation and aims of our project, the reasons for producing a large print poetry book and thanked our sponsors “Crook Hill Community Benefit Fund”.
The poets and Cllr Janet Elmsley with copies of the anthology
Eileen Earnshaw, a superb local poet, and I shared a couple of poems each to give some idea of the range of styles and subjects that we write about and then each of the other poets who took part in the project read some of their work from the newly published book.
The participating poets are; Denise Greenall, Eileen Earnshaw, Elizabeth White, Graham Haynes, Julie Woodrup, Marilyn Allred, Nic Holliday, Ray Stearn, Sandra Buckley, Susan Benton and myself.
Cllr. Janet Emsley, Deputy Leader of Rochdale Council, always a staunch supporter of the arts and her local community in Littleborough, read a poem on behalf of Elizabeth White and also expressed thanks to the sponsors and her hopes that we will continue to see such community based creative projects in the future.
Cllr Janet Emsley, Seamus Kelly (poet and facilitator), Elizabeth White (Create and Connect)
The book, and the readings, were very well received and copies will be distributed free of charge to people experiencing sight loss, Rotary will include them in Christmas parcels and they will be distributed to care homes etc. and through MeetUp at Hare Hill House.
Next week we will be releasing copies online, freely downloadable, including a version using colours and a specialist font to make it more readable for people with dyslexia.
Elizabeth White said “the launch was really successful, the poets read from their work to a very appreciative audience. Being able to offer a large print poetry book is amazing as there are very few published in this format.”
Some of the audience listening to poems at today’s launch
A great event and project, I have been very impressed by all of the writers and thoroughly enjoyed running the workshops and editing the anthology.
A quick glance inside one of the boxes of books ready for tomorrow’s launch.
It is always exciting opening that box and holding a copy of a brand new book in your hand. This one is a special one being produced as it is a large print anthology helping to make poetry accessible to older people and those with some visual impairment.
The work has been inspired by the workshops that the writers attended at Hare Hill House in Littleborough. I’m really looking forward to the participating poets receiving their copies, seeing their words in print and sharing some of their poems at the launch.
if you can get along to the launch you’ll be very welcome and you will be able to collect a free copy of Poetry in the Park and enjoy light refreshment and drinks.
Seven years ago my friend and fellow poet and writer, Norman Warwick, retired to Lanzarote. Norm, part of All Cross the Arts in Rochdale, had facilitated the Touchstones Creative Writing Group every month for some years and the group was going well.
I received an email from the group secretary asking me if i would be able to facilitate their next session in October 2015 as Norm wouldn’t be around. of course I said yes and created a workshop for the group.
Since then TCWG have called in a number of writers to facilitate their sessions and I’ve delivered brand new workshops every few months for the group.
Yesterday I walked through those doors and delivered a workshop about Time and Place in writing.
Seven years and over 20 workshops where I’ve seen members come and go. We used technology during the pandemic, we’ve met in various rooms including the galleries whilst open to the public. I can honestly say that its been a privilege to work with the members and to see how they’ve developed over the years.
So as Norm celebrates 7 years of retirement in Lanzarote, where he is embedded in the local writing and cultural scenes, I celebrate my own 7 years of working with TCWG.
Norm writes about arts and culture, in Lanzarote, Rochdale, and around the world, on his blog ”All Across the Arts, Sidetracks and Detours” at https://aata.dev
All Across the Arts continues to deliver arts and cultural stories, inspiration and events in Rochdale, curated by Steve Cooke with a twice weekly column in the local papers and online at www.allacrossthearts.com
I’ve had an amazing Summer running workshops as part of the HAF (Health Activity and Food) working with young people from age 5 to 11. Your Trust Rochdale, the borough’s cultural and leisure trust, had asked me to deliver sessions following feedback from sessions I had previously delivered for HAF last Summer and at Easter.
I delivered a total of 13 sessions at schools and libraries in Darnhill, Heywood, Middleton, Smallbridge and Kirkholt in Rochdale, and were attended by between 12 and 22 young people at each.
Each workshop involved storytelling, with a new series of children’s stories I have been developing, learning about a topic, creative writing and drawing and colouring matching the themes of each topic. in some sessions we also shared some poetry and children produced some of their own.
The workshops were titled:
My Ocean Adventure, My Space Adventure, My Minibeast Adventure, My Dinosaur Adventure and Endangered – Creatures at Risk.
Here are just a few examples of the work produced by young people at my HAF workshops
All of the workshops were very well received and when a 7 year old on my final session (one of My Ocean Adventure sessions) said ”That was a really good story” I couldn’t have been happier.
The workshops are all now available for schools, and other groups, and are suitable for anyone from 5 to 11, including children with special needs. Each session can be run over one hour or two hours depending on ages and needs of the group.
I’m always happy to discuss the sessions I offer and availability and can also prepare bespoke sessions as required for all age groups for age 5 upwards.
A band new project in Littleborough, the brainchild of artist, and writer, Liz White, who realised that many older people and people with visual impairments are not able to access poetry. Based in Hare Hill House I will be delivering a series of 6 two hour workshops using the Park, House, Littleborough and their history for inspiration.
The participants will contribute poems to a collection which will be produced as a large print book suitable for readers with visual impairments. The book will be distributed free of charge to local people with visual impairments. Participants will be supported in writing poetry in terms of style, language, poetic forms and technique.
I am pleased to announce my new workshops to learn the techniques of linocut printing and to produce some of your own prints.
There are two sessions available:
Weds 29th June from 12:00 to 15:00
Fri 1st July from 18:00 to 20:30
The sessions will cover the kinds of image that can be produced, the reversal of the carved images and basic techniques including; transferring images onto the Lino, safe cutting techniques, line and pattern making, applying ink and finally printing onto paper.
All equipment and materials will be provided and participants will be able to take home their own completed prints and carved Lino blocks.
Workshops are limited to small groups (maximum 6 people) and the cost is £30 per person payable by cash or card. Please email seamus@onepoetsvision.co.uk to reserve your place.
Future sessions will look at more advanced techniques including using more colours with rainbow rolls and jigsaw prints.
Advice about the range and quality of equipment and materials available will be provided and, although I may be able to advise on suppliers, I am not able to supply equipment and do not have any arrangements with suppliers.
Having just delivered a project, Climate Worx, a series of creative writing workshops looking our planet, our environment and climate change I was delighted to see the announcement, this week, that the theme for National Poetry Day 2022 (NPD22) is the “Environment”.
For National Poetry Day in previous years I have run poetry workshops and delivered performances for libraries, schools and writing groups. This years theme promises to deliver lots of inspirational and thought provoking poetry.
With a lifelong interest in all things environmental and a degree in Ecology I always relish the opportunity to help spread appreciation and understanding of our natural world through creative writing, art and photography.
With that in mind I currently have a range of poetry creative writing workshops which focus on the environment and include sessions suitable for all ages from 5 upwards and with any level of experience in creative writing. Most importantly we can have fun whilst flexing our creative muscles and sharing the experience with others (hopefully in the room rather than only via Zoom).
Sessions for the day itself can be booked for two hours in the morning, the afternoon and the evening (depending on travel times) or half or full days. Poetry written in the workshops can be recorded on audio with a digital file provided to share with your group, family and friends.
For those that would like a more permanent and physical record of their work it is possible to run a series of workshops in the weeks before 6th October from which the work produced can be collected into an attractive book and the work can be performed at an event on or close to the NPD22.
NPD22 is still 7 months away but slots can book up quite quickly so if you’d like to discuss your requirements or plans please email seamus@onepoetsvision.co.uk
Prices start from £100 for a two hour session including travel within 20 miles of Littleborough.
This morning I approved the proofs from the printers and I’ll be awaiting the box/boxes of books arriving at my door ahead of our launch at 12.00 on 17th March in Falinge Park (cafe), Rochdale.
Once I’d finished that process I worked on a second version which will be available to download. That version uses a special font and a coloured background to make it easier for those with dyslexia to read. The cover for this version is shown below – it will be made available online after the launch event.
At the launch the writers who have contributed to the book will read some of their work, there will be a chance to chat and meet members of the group and pack up a copy of the book. There will, of course, be light refreshments.
If you haven’t received an invitation but would like to attend please let me know and we’ll be happy to accommodate you.
The last of six workshops for the Climate Worx project I been running since November is taking place tomorrow morning from 10:00am to noon. This is the last chance to be involved in writing for the project but there will be plenty of opportunity to see the work produced after the launch of our collected writing in March.
A total of 15 people have taken part in the creative writing sessions that were inspired by the Gaia Installation, in Rochdale in November and December, and thinking about our environment and climate. The project, with Falinge Park Writing Group, was funded by the Rochdale Borough Creative Network and hosted by the Vintage Worx Community Development Trust in Falinge Park.
Lots of new writing has been created and I am currently compiling it into a book which will be a lasting legacy for the project. There will be a wide range of styles of writing in the book including poetry, short stories and non-fiction. All participants in the workshops are able to have at least one piece included in the publication which we expect to launch on 17th March (an auspicious date for a book edited by someone with my background).
