My summer began with a dreamy Fallow at the Farm creative day retreat. The people who spent that Saturday writing, breathing, and simply being were a compact, compassionate, and creative group. There has been little fallow time for my notebook and keyboard since. Thanks to a handful of commissions and grants, I have been in the fortunate position of being able to tend crops of different forms and sizes over the last two months. Speaking of crops, Guy Singh-Watson, the founder of Riverford, sends a leaflet of updates on how farming is going, along with the delivery of organic fruit and veg which arrives every fortnight. I suppose this blog is my version of that.
Memoir
I am eight months into My Developing Your Creative Practice Project supported by Arts Council England and have just completed a huge rewrite of the memoir, which has allowed me to implement what I’ve learned since December. The experience and learning have been intense and there is no way I could have devoted a fraction of the time to the writing and thinking time without this financial support. I know us writers are expected to avoid flowery language these days, but I really am efflorescent with gratitude (sorry).
After letting the book lie fallow while I focus on other projects, I hope to produce another draft and send the book to agents and publishers in the new year. More in the coming months!
Poetry
I often spend seasons developing a poem to full bloom, but, since July, I’ve written a few with short deadlines, including one for a funeral. It was a special commission and a true honour to get to know this man through the stories told to me by his daughter and my friend.
Yesterday my copy of erbacce dropped through the letterbox. Three of my poems are included in their latest journal, including two unpublished poems responding to the genocide in Gaza and a poem that was once shortlisted for the Bridport.
Bradford 2025
Everything is Connected
As Writer-in-residence for the Bradford 2025 Methodist Modern Art Collection exhibition, I and Artist-in-residence Imogen Joyce will be creating new work, writing with local communities, and appearing at various events across the city. Over the next couple of months, we have an abundant programme of FREE events, details of which are here. There is something for every age and interest including:
Activity booklets for under 12s at all venues. These will be launched on the afternoon of 6 Sep at Bradford Cathedral
Workshops
6 Sep 2025,10:30 – 12:00
South Square, Thornton
20 Sep 2025, 13:00 – 15:00
St James Church, Thornton
Embroidering in the Environment in words and pictures
26 Sep 2025, 18:30 – 20:00
Ben Rhydding Methodist Church
Other Events
6 Oct 2025, 19:00 – 21:00
Bradford Cathedral
A friendly panel of local artists discuss their process and artistic responses to the Everything Is Connected exhibition of works from the Methodist Modern Art Collection. The evening will include a short slideshow of artists’ work and their process, a panel discussion, and Q&A. Open to all. FREE, booking required.
10 Oct 2025, 19:00 – 20:00
South Square
Explore the exhibition and responses from the local community. This is a chance to meet artists-in-residence Imogen Joyce and Becky Cherriman, and see and hear about art produced in response to work in the Everything Is Connected exhibition of works from the Methodist Modern Art Collection.
Explore the exhibition, hear a poem by Becky, and enjoy refreshments with Imogen’s informal talk about her work and the co-creation of her tapestries with the local community.
Please note that the gallery will be open from 6 until 9pm.
Making Meaning: Art, Poetry & Community
11 Oct 2025, 14:00 – 16:00
St James Church, Thornton
You are welcome to attend the unveiling of local artists’ work and responses to the Everything Is Connected exhibition of works from the Methodist Modern Art Collection, featuring brand new work from our creative writer and artist in residence. The evening will feature a live discussion about the artists’ process and a reading from writers inspired by the exhibition.
12 Oct 2025, 15:30 – 16:15
Ben Rhydding Methodist Church
A final chance to see the Everything Is Connected exhibition of artworks from the Methodist Modern Art Collection, and creative responses to them. An opportunity to reflect on the ways in which the collection has moved and connected us.
Open to all.
FREE, no booking required.
With thanks to the Gibbs Trust.
Short story to be published in Book of Bradford
In June, Comma Press invited me to write a short story for their forthcoming anthology about Bradford. The press has printed several fantastic anthologies in the series about cities across the world, all written by writers with a strong connection with those places.
The book will be launched as part of BBC Contains Strong Language on Saturday 20th September. Tickets are available here: https://bradford2025.co.uk/event/book-of-bradford-launch/
Having done my growing in Bradford – living there between 9 and 16 years of age – being part of Bradford 2025 in these ways feels like coming home, both literarily and emotionally.
I hope that whatever storms you are weathering much has grown in your lives too.
With love,
Becky
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