Monday 9 June 2014

The Walking on Wyre creative writing workshop journey is complete. Now selection for publication begins.



Well everyone - at last the walking and talking is over.  The last Walking on Wyre workshop at Scorton brought the creative writing workshops and three months planning to a conclusion.  What an incredible journey it has been.   We have walked along many of the most picturesque and historic sections of the Wyre Way and met many new friends along the route.   What began for me as the seed of an idea has rolled along the River Wyre, gathering pace, interesting people and a wealth of wonderful new writing. A dream come true.  

Erin, Lucy, Steve, Ian and Pat at our
first workshop at The Fig Tree, Garstang with tutors
Rachel McGladdery and Norman Hadley 













We walked beside the River Wyre, then along the Lancaster canal
and stood on the aqueduct where the two meet.  

At Wyre Estuary Park Anne, Chris, Barry, Steve, Lindsay
and Kathleen worked with tutor Sarah Hymas 


We walked the ancient drumlin hill,
formed by receeding glacial ice millions of years ago.
Lara Clayton, tutor at Cleveleys library with Anne, Kathleen,
Heather, Lindsay and Chris. 













We all got down and dirty on Cleveleys beach. 






At windy Rossall point, Shaun Brookes tutored the workshop
for Stewart, Barry, Elizabeth and Heather. 
Seals at sea, the incredible view and the iconic building
gave us plenty of material  to write about. 

I had a lively crew at Fleetwood.  David (out of shot),
Chris, Kathleen, Heather and Steve. 
And I wasn't the only washed up wreck at Fleetwood that day!
The Barn at Scorton, with tutor Steve Rowland, Sheilagh, Dave,
 Pat and newcomers Angela and Pam. 
The River Wyre,
 our constant but ever suprising companion on
 our journey from the Wyre boundary to the sea. 

So what happens next?  Now it is your turn.  All that talented tuition should have helped you to create wonderful poetry and prose.  To be considered for publication , your submissions must be sent to us by 22nd June 2014 when we will begin the selection process.  The Walking on Wyre publication will be launched on 20th August 2014 as a special event at The Gartstang Arts Festival from 6.30pm to 8.30pm at Booths Cafe, Garstang.  This will be a performance evening, when all particpants will be invited to come and read the poems and stories they have written.  It is a public event and free to attend, so please invite your family and friends.  The tutors will be there to support you and Sarah Hymas, who has written a wonderful poem especially for the Walking on Wyre project will be there to read too. We will send out the schedule to all particpants two weeks before the event.

We are still collecting postcard fliers from the six workshop venues, Wyre libraries and Wyre Information Points, so you can still contribute your thoughts about Wyre, the River and the beautiful landscapes.  All comments will be printed on this blog.  Many have been recieved - to read them, just scroll to the bottom of this page.  




Between now and the publication launch all the poems will be published here, so please sign up to follow walkingwyre.blogspot.com by adding your email address to the box halfway down the right hand column.   The address for submissions is walkingwyre@gmail.com.  I am really looking forward to receiving your work. I will sign off with a huge thank you to all the participants, tutors, Wyre Rangers, Wyre library and information point staff who have encouraged and supported the project from planning to this point.  I also have to thank Barry for the photos and Colin for the artwork and printing.  I must also thank the staff at all the venues for making us feel so welcome and Steve Rowland who has supported the project every step of the way.    

This wonderful journey could not have begun without the suppoort the team at LeftCoast, who beleived in the idea and supported our funding application to Arts Council England or without the friendship and encouragement of all the wonderful writers and friends who are       Lancashire Dead Good Poets Society.  

Adele Robinson - walkingwyre@gmail.com