SWWJ AGM AND SUMMER FESTIVAL

Super day out in London yesterday. The New Cavendish Club (Marble Arch) was the venue for our SWWJ Summer Festival celebrations. Great to see so many friends from the past and also many new members and guests. Sandra Howard was wonderful and judged the Elizabeth Longford poetry competition which was won by Fay Marshall. The Theodora Roscoe Trophy for a short story was judged by Vanessa Gebbie and was won by Emma Louise Timpany (a Probationer from Falmouth, Cornwall), again a superb entry and both writers were present to receive their beautiful trophies.

Nicola Beauman, founder of Persephone Books was our guest speaker and was such a huge inspiration to all the writers present. (She is pictured with Patrick Forsyth, columnist with the Writing Magazine). Also pictured is Sandra Howard and Doreen Friend and Catherine Miller who will be handling the Society's Press & Publicity.

WONDERFUL SUMMER FESTIVAL IN LONDON

As requested by those who could not make last week's Summer Festival held at the Royal Overseas League in London's Park Place in St James, have included a few more snaps. Our member, Alison Chisholm won the Lady Longford prize for poetry. Alison, from Southport, is well known to readers of The Writing Magazine where she writes a regular poetry column. Her work can also be read in Springboard We welcomed some excellent speakers including Peter Snow and patrons including Sir Tim Rice. Our Life President, Lady Shirley Williams, caught up with the news over lunch and it was great to meet her once again. Our prize winners were there to pick up their awards and some of our overseas members managed to get there, too. Producer, actor, director Martin Cort, our drama expert arranged the playlets which were excellent - the actors gave superb performances.Few pictures here to illustrate the flavour of the day.