Just back from holiday – a week of long walks on vast empty beaches and on hills where we never saw anyone else all day. But then, that’s Northumberland for you. We had a cottage in Embleton which had neither phone nor wifi signal so this was definitely a good time to reconnect with my […]
Recently, I have had the great pleasure of preparing 3 creative workshops for Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums to reflect their current ‘Wor Life’ series of exhibitions. The first one I delivered was at South Shields Museum where curator Adam Bell has put together the remarkable Home of Heroes: South Tyneside in the First […]
On my daughter Rosie’s very last day at school, I was a little surprised when she bounced out of the school gates showing no emotion after her way of life of 14 years had come to an end. Perhaps it was difficult, given that she had dressed up as clown for a themed farewell! For […]
It’s every writer’s dream to hear their words come to life and reach an audience or a reader. I have been very fortunate to have a group of wonderful friends that I can call upon to help me. Even so, I really thought I had overstretched myself this time as when I read through my […]
For several years now I’ve been fascinated by those commemorative plaques on benches. They usually start ‘In Loving Memory of…’ From a writer’s perspective, I wonder about each of the lives they represent, each person that someone has loved and cared enough about to mark their passing. Much to my kids embarrassment, I had an […]
We all need to take time out from the hurly burly of our busy lives and there is no better place to do that than at the Edwardian House and Grounds of Shepherd’s Dene, venue of our latest creative writing workshop, where we explored the theme of nature and made use of its glorious setting […]
Our first Cuture Bites@ podcast comes from the wonderfully eclectic Quilliam Brothers Teahouse, set up by (yes you’re ahead of me) the Quilliam Brothers. Not only are these 3 guys extremely hard working entrepreneurs ( the Teahouse is open from 8am to 1pm), they are also very talented in the music & drama department (two […]
Taking part in the Durham Creatives and Durham Light Infantry Always Remember, Never Forget WW1 exhibition at the DLI Museum & Gallery has been both an amazing & a sobering experience. The idea for my exhibit came after I was inspired by handling artefacts from the DLI WW1 exhibition. I chose 2 artefacts, a Sweetheart […]
Being part of the Durham Light Infantry Museum & Gallery Always Remember, Never Forget WW1 exhibition, I have been very privileged to handle artefacts from the DLI WW1 collection as a source of inspiration for my writing. I also felt that I wanted to provide this opportunity for the participants of the creative writing workshops […]
I am very busy with a very exciting project at the Durham Light Infantry Museum & Gallery. The exhibition is launched on 6th June at 6 pm and will be open for 2 weeks. Find out more here. Along with other creative people including painters, textile & ceramic artists, I am preparing an exhibit as […]