A CHANCE TO MEET SOME OF OUR BRENTWOOD WRITERS' CIRCLE MEMBERS ON SATURDAY IN THE BAY TREE CENTRE

 

Following today's interview with PhoenixFM radio presenter Michelle Ward on her regular morning programme Eat My Brunch, it was great to catch up with her and our super Book Club guest the author Andy Stuart.  

We also had an opportunity to talk about our Brentwood Writers' Circle members and their writerly successes over the last few months.  You will have a chance of meeting some of them on Saturday 28 June at our stall in the Bay Tree Centre, just off the High Street from 11.00am - 3.00pm.  This event launches the fabulous annual Brentwood Arts Festival.

MEETING MARINA WARNER AND MAGGI HAMBLING AT COLCHESTER

From the first public ‘outing’ of award-winning writer and cultural mythographer Marina Warner’s new book Sanctuary, to one of Britain’s leading contemporary artists Maggi Hambling talking all things art, Colchester is the place to be this weekend.

First up, is our special day Spirits, Salons & Sanctuary, which will be taking place this Saturday in one of Colchester’s oldest sites of sanctuary, St Leonard-at-the-Hythe Church.

Sanctuary is an ancient right. But what does it mean today? Drawing on a lifetime of engagement with literature, myth, history and tradition from different cultures, Marina Warner’s new book Sanctuary is an ambitious attempt to grapple with the sharpest questions that we are facing in today’s world of global turmoil.

Marina will be joined by two other writers at St Leonard’s. These include poet/novelist Philip Terry who will be discussing Dante’s Purgatorio, the sequel to his Dante’s Inferno (2014). Set on Mersea Island with the unlikely backdrop of an Essex ‘Alp’ hewn out of Flexible Rock Substitute, and an even more unlikely cast of characters that includes Grayson Perry, Rachela Whiteread, Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage, expect the unexpected in this inspired reimagining of ‘Purgatoria’.

Followed by poet/novelist writer Clare Pollard who will be talking to fellow writer Holly Pester about her latest novel The Modern Fairies, which has just been awarded the inaugural Tadeusz Bradecki Prize for its ‘history and magic, novelistic depth and sharpness of fable’.

Sunday takes us to The Minories for a feast of authors, artists, workshops, and storytelling. Events include Tony Peake talking about his biography of his old friend Derek Jarman, and Maggi Hambling chatting to art critic and novelist James Cahill about his latest novel The Violet Hour that has been described by Stephen Fry as ‘the best novel I have read for ages … masterly’.

The Minories Garden, meanwhile, will be jam-packed with storytellers, including BBC Essex’s Rob Jelly, who will be reading Spike Milligan’s BadJelly the Witch, and a variety of drop-in workshops including traditional ink-making and eco-printing with artist Zoe Martin, Twinkle Twinkle willow star weaving with master weaver and storyteller Glenys Newton, spice-painting with artist Lora Aziz, and more. The excellent news is that it’s all free!

GLORIFYING OUR ESSEX BOOK FESTIVAL 2025

Great weather to get out and about throughout the county and a chance to catch up with some of our annual festival friends: some have been with us since the start in 2000. Updates below. 

The Essex Book Festival is currently underway, taking place across various venues in Essex from June to August. It features a wide range of events including author talks, workshops, and family-friendly activities. The festival has events in Colchester and beyond, with options for both free and paid entry, according to Visit Colchester and Essex Book Festival. According to Visit Essex, the festival is known for reaching diverse locations, including libraries, museums, and even heritage sites. 

Here's a more detailed look:

• Diverse Events:

  The festival offers a mix of fiction, non-fiction, and genre-specific events like crime and historical fiction, according to the Essex Library Service. 
• Venues:

  Events are held in over 40 venues across Essex, including libraries, theatres, lecture halls, green spaces, and even on foot. 
• Accessibility:

  The festival aims to be accessible to all by offering both free and paid events. 
• Location Variety:

  Events are taking place in places like Grays Library, Hot Box Live in Chelmsford, and Colchester Samaritans Community Hall, notes Essex Book Festival. 
• Booking:

  Tickets can be booked online or through the Mercury Theatre Box Office

YET ANOTHER BATCH OF OLDER PHOTOS FROM THE CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW IN FORMER YEARS

I've found yet another batch of photos from past Chelsea Flower Shows - always the most magnificent day of the gardening year for me and thousands of other gardeners.  Here are some more familiar faces who were happy to pose for some snaps.

MORE IMAGES FROM ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY'S FORMER SUMMER GARDEN SHOW AT CHELSEA - MEETING SOME FAMILIAR FACES

 

Sylvia & Lulu

Over the last twenty years, it was often fun to spend the first day of the RHS's first large horticultural event of the year at Chelsea. As well as learning more about so many new plants and shrubs in gorgous garden sets, it was fun meeting some of my favourite folk from very different worlds. Let's see who you can recognise?

Lorraine Pascale

Enjoyed chatting with Lorraine Pascale a few years back.  The subject plants? No. puff pastry! There were quite a few TV food presenters and obviously some wonderful cooks, chefs and folk who were in the business of growing vegetables and food for the table. Guests were treated to some delicious samples and lots of wine.

SORRY TO HAVE MISSED YESTERDAY'S VIP DAY AT CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW. HERE ARE SOME SNAPS FROM PREVIOUS YEARS. ONE OF MY FAVOURITE LONDON EVENTS

James Reddell in wheelchair with his friends during an early visit to Chelsea Flower Show

As a keen gardener after fifty years since joining the Brentwood Guild of Gardeners, my annual visit to the Royal Hospital on VIP day to see my good friend James Reddell and his pals, then came an invitation via the RHS -  to interview some of the world's greatest gardeners, entertainers, writers and folk from all over the world.  Thereafter, of course, I had to write up my interview features for Essex press and a couple of county radio shows. I have an interesting collection of pictures from those earlier days.  Here are a few to bring back some memories.

 

guess who?

HERE WE GO WITH ANOTHER FABULOUS FUN WALK EVENT - COME JOIN US?

The organisers of the annual Fun Walk are delighted to share that, thanks to support from local businesses and individuals, the 2025 Bonus Pot has reached over £30,000.

The ‘Bonus Pot’ is a key incentive for supporters of local charities and community groups to raise funds for their chosen cause, as it tops up on a pro-rata basis the money raised in sponsorship by each participating organisation, over and above the amount they raise themselves in sponsorship.

Last year we were able to provide a 30% bonus, (meaning £30 was added for every £100 raised in sponsorship), and over £100,000 was raised in total by participating organisations. We are hoping to do even better this year.

Since 2002, this annual Fun Walk, which will take place through September, has helped registered charities and good causes (local schools, churches, grass roots sports teams and other community and animal welfare groups) to raise money.

John Baron, Chair of the Fun Walk Trustees, said:
“The Fun Walk Trust undertakes the organisation of the event to better enable local charities and good causes to focus on raising sponsorship money for their walks.” “The Bonus pot provides a significant incentive for participants, and could this year add 35% – 40% to charities’ Fun Walk sponsorship money.”

“So far this year, our donors include Greater Anglia, Brown & Carroll (London), Sanctuary Housing Association, One Footstep (Human Kind Café), Butyl Products Group, Tunnelcraft Ltd, C2C Rail, Mr Barrie Stone and other individuals. We thank them for their generosity and community spirit.”

Charities and local community groups wanting to take part can just register on www.thefunwalktrust.co.uk

VE DAY 8 MAY IN BILLERICAY - UP WITH THE FLAGS

We couldn't miss the large crowds at Sun Corner taking part in the VE Day 80 Beacon Lighting event on Thursday. The atmosphere was exceptional and there was a great sense of community spirit throughout the evening.

As usual, we welcomed our musical friends, High Voltage Performing Arts along with the fabulous Lorraine Cater who was brilliant helping the crowd singing along and celebrating together.

Jim Devlin, our chairman, gave a warm opening speech, and we were proud to have two members of our Youth Council read the National Tribute.At exactly 9:30pm, our Citizen of the Year, John Smart, had the honour of lighting the beacon as part of the nationwide commemorations.

Our super 2393 RAF Squadron cadets, along with other Billericay uniformed organisations were present and the evening was a great success.

MAY I INTRODUCE COLIN TAYLOR, AUTHOR, STAND-UP & STORY TELLER?

 On Saturday, novelist Colin Taylor and the super Lisa Horner, author and librarian, presented their 'Starting to Write' session in Billericay Library and surprises were in store for those present.  Colin provided a great afternoon, packed with answers to questions and queries about taking that first gentle step into our often strange world of writing, with more than a little help from Lisa, who is also a talented artist.  

More information can be found on websites www.colintaylortales.com and www.lisajhorner.com (not forgetting our own Brentwood Writers' Circle website), which is also a fascinating place to visit to discover more information about one of the UK's oldest and most successful writing circles.  www.brentwoodwriterscircle.comasing art or want to commission me. 

lisajanehorner(at)yahoo.co.u