Poems Hoarded and Boarded
Chris Andrews
Lucy Aykroyd
Ruth Bean
Lilian Cameron
Carol Ann
Susan Cunningham
Anne Forbes
Phyllis Goodall
Margaret Grant
Haseley Hinton
Haworth Hodgkinson
Annie Lamb
Anne Rogers
Maureen Ross
Linda Smith
Fiona Wilson
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2005
Keep an eye on the North
East Writers website for the latest literary news throughout the year.
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Huntly Writers
Review of 2010 by Linda Smith
Despite a somewhat snowy start to the year and the AGM being postponed till 10 February,
because of continuing bad weather, this has been a busy and exciting session for
Huntly Writers. In Spring, through the Scottish Book Trust scheme, we hosted two
workshops: on Sunday 21 March the long-awaited script-writing workshop run by poet
and playwright George Gunn was held in the Stewart's Hall; and on 28 March a poetry
workshop was led by John Glenday. Both were open to non-members, were well attended
and drew much praise from participants. Due to the success of the first event, George
Gunn was invited to lead a follow-up workshop on playwriting on Sunday 11 July,
which was again highly commended by those taking part.
On 16 June, several members of the group participated in an outdoor workshop in
Battlehill Wood offered by Clea Wallis and Jelka Plate of Dudendance. All were enthusiastic
about the experience and, when Clea and Fabiana invited Huntly Writers to take a
greater role in their project Into the Wild, we were delighted to accept.
This was to prove the writers' most exacting challenge of the year. Maureen, Annie,
Ruth, Cara, Anne Forbes, Anne Rogers, Haworth and Linda had already contributed
imaginative work inspired by the woodland walks and Fabiana Galante, an innovative
Argentinian musician, wove these pieces into a tapestry of sound, transforming the
group into a Writers' Orchestra. The Writers' Orchestra performed at Gauld's Shop
on two Sundays in September, on both occasions to appreciative audiences, while
recordings of their work were played in an audio booth during the Battlehill Wood
Guided Walk.
Although still under the direction of Haworth Hodgkinson, Wordfringe mutated into
the New Words festival
and was moved from May to September. Huntly Writers hosted Still Voices on
Wednesday 8 September at GlenDronach Distillery, featuring prominent North-East
musician Pete Stollery and poet Elspeth Murray, who held a large audience riveted.
On Sunday 12 September at Stewart's Hall, Huntly, Maureen's sister, Andi Ross, ran
a successful workshop Stand and Deliver, which focused on the skills of reading
work to an audience. Her advice and practical support were much appreciated. For
our own event we returned to Rizza's Ice Cream Factory on Wednesday 22 September,
presenting Raspberry Ripple for the delectation of a small, but attentive
audience, who lapped up our menu of stormy weather themes.
On National Poetry Day, Thursday 6 October, Huntly Writers were again at the cutting
edge of the arts, as, after a rolling programme of readings in the Library, our
work scrolled up the facade of Huntly's Brander Library. Many thanks to Maureen's
son Jamie, for putting the Huntly Writers up in lights!
Members of Huntly Writers continue to have work published in a variety of publications
and to take part in readings, competitions and arts events in the North-East. Margaret
and Phyllis were again successful at the Strichen Festival, Linda gained Second
Prize in the Doric Festival, while Ruth has had poems and Anne Forbes a poem and
an article published in the Knock News. At the Wigtown Book Festival, Cara had the
opportunity to read her work at the Unpublished Writers' Jam, a demanding,
but helpful experience. Congratulations to all!
The membership roll this year has remained steady. Marian Reid has expressed a wish
to join the group for the summer months, although she is unable to attend in winter
due to previous commitments. In November, we were pleased to welcome Lucy Aykroyd,
Stephanie Ford and Carol Ann to the group.
Snowstorms struck again at the end of the session, forcing Huntly Writers to cancel
the meeting on Wednesday 1 December; however a meeting was held by office-bearers
during the day on Friday 10 December to finalise finances and discuss the programme
for the next year.
With several new ideas already in the pipeline, 2011 promises to be another exhilarating
year for Huntly Writers.
We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves.
The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day.
(Edith Lovejoy Pierce)
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