Blog Posts

  • Becky performing

    The Battered Heart Still Beats

    And no, I’m not talking politics this time. New year’s resolutions have a bad reputation – those who make them are bound to renege on them and bounce back to bad habits with a lower self-esteem because they have failed. Not always. This year my resolutions have given me focus and allowed some rainbows to…

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  • Red Roses for a birthday

    During the Labour leadership elections of 2015 I was asked to contribute a poem for the Poets For Corbyn anthology. After looking at his voting record, I did so. This doesn’t mean I am comfortable with what the media and others have termed the Corbyn cult. I am not a fan of hero worship and…

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  • Why did I just give up almost two weeks pay?

    I had only been a part-time Teaching Fellow at the University of Leeds Lifelong Learning Centre for six weeks when University College Union went on an eight day strike over pay devaluation, pensions, pay inequality, job insecurity and overwork. So why, just after I had said farewell to much of my regular freelance work, did…

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  • A NIGHT AT THE LIBRARY, A NEW JOB, AUTUMN READINGS AND PUBLICATIONS

    Writing the Night Residential On Saturday 2nd November, I will be running Writing the Night Residential workshop at The Leeds Library, a beautiful 18th Century private library. As far as we know, nobody has spent the night in the Leeds Library before and this may never be done again so seize the opportunity! This event links with the…

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