About Me

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Bristol , United Kingdom
I'm co-director of the Leaping Word Poetry Consultancy, which provides advice for poets on writing, editing and publishing, as well as qualified counselling support for those exploring personal issues in their work - https://theleapingword.com. My fifth poetry collection, Learning Finity, is now available from Indigo Dreams or directly from me.

Sunday 9 July 2017

Back to the 80s #bristolmidnightwalk for #stpetershospice


Funny how it all comes rushing back. The rolling and tying of an Indian silk scarf in a top knot. The back combing and hairspray. The smudgy black kohl eyeliner. The preferred order in which to pin the badges. 




All this as part of the Elmfield School for Deaf Children team taking part in the Back to the 80s Midnight Walk in aid of St Peter's Hospice, which recently gave our friend and co-worker, Clare Bear, such wonderful care in her last weeks. 



And the ones amongst us who'd been there, done that didn't scrub up that badly. (Jade was merely born in the 80s - just - but was doing brilliantly well being only three weeks post appendectomy.)



Setting off. (I am a little unhappy as a non-football fan, obvs, but Bristol Rovers supporter, obvs, starting out from Trashton Gate, home of the City, but there you go. ) 



We'd chosen the five mile walk, which I thought would be a breeze, even after an afternoon taking up my back room carpet and depositing it at the tip, but I hadn't realised how often I pause on my walks to take photos. Tonight there was no stopping - not even up Bridge Valley Road which is fairly steep. And all my photos were wonky.  


The best part of the evening, though, was spotting Sherry Eugene who was one of the comperes. Sherry is also a British Sign Language Interpreter and well known at our school. She took the time to sign a tribute to our Clare Bear to a hushed group of 1200 women plus stewards. It was followed by a burst of applause and the Elmfield contingent had a bit of a sniff and a tear or two. 


'Bear'



There's still time to donate if the spirit moves you.  Here's the link to our justgiving page, and thanks to everyone who has already supported us.






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