What's Your Story? LMHC

WoW's What's Your Story? writers perform at the Liverpool Central Library

WoW are holding a celebration event for our What's Your Story?, in collaboration with Liverpool Mental Health Consortium, writing group. Participants will be performing their work at the Central Library and will be presented with a published book of their work that they have completed within the course. 

Established author and dynamic poet, Clare Shaw has been leading the 12 week creative writing workshop.
Clare has two poetry collections, Straight Ahead and Head On and has been anthologised by Faber and Faber and Some Girls' Mothers. Clare has been published in several national journals and newspapers and was awarded High Commended in the Forward Prize 2006. As well as a popular performer, she is also a self-harm trainer and consultant, working independently and in partnership to enable services to respond helpfully to people who self-harm.




The course has been in partnership with the Liverpool Mental Health Consortium. The Liverpool Mental Health Consortium was set up with the aim of improving mental health services in Liverpool. The Consortium offers valuable opportunities for those who have experienced mental distress to develop a collective voice.

Clare Shaw's group, in partnership with The Liverpool Mental Health Consortium, will be performing on 10th October, World Mental Health Day. World Mental Health Day is a day for global mental health education, awareness and advocacy. 

Find out what else is happening in Liverpool on World Mental Health Day. 

The George Garrett Archive Course

Module One, Workshop Two.

From stowaway to a Seaman at War.

Tony’s introduction to our second workshop, covered a lot of ground, and the amount of discussion following his introduction and in the workshops went further and deeper into this area of Garrett’s life. George is back from his travels in South America and into the War in 1914 that Tony argued sees the world beginning to close down; opportunities for unimpeded travel become limited and for the first time the Merchant Marine, and its representatives in the Seamen’s Union, formed in the white heat of battle in 1911, are pulled back from radicalism towards nationalism. The development of the dreaded U-boats, which Hobsbawm argues are the only weapon to have a major effect upon the First World War, wreak havoc on the Merchant Fleet, which prior to the U-boat received little in the way of escorts from the Royal navy. Garrett, although not under threat from a U-boat but from a destroyer, has direct experience of dangers of war on his first ship, The Potaro, which is scuttled by the German seamenafter the crew of The Potaro are given just fifteen minutes to abandon the ship. The SS Potaro was a British Merchant Steamer of 4,419 tons. On the 10th January 1915 when 560 miles E by N ¼ N (true) from Pernambuco, off the coast of Brazil, she was captured by the German Auxiliary Cruiser SMS Kronprinz Wilhelm and scuttled. We believe that Garrett, who was taken aboard the Kronprinz Wilhelm and forced to sign a declaration against taking up arms again against the Germans, may have been transferred to an internment camp in Buenos Aires from which he later escaped. George would have felt as though he was on familiar ground, as only a few years before he had spent some time wandering and working across South America prior to sailing back to Liverpool to sign on for the war. The Kronzprinz captured many ships, and took, politely apparently, all the crew and passengers from each ship on board, and held them while searching for other ships to capture. Here is a link to an amazing account published in The New York Times in 1915 of the experience of the prisoners held on board the Kronprinz for six weeks. And look out at the end for a fascinating insight into why, in April 1918, George Garrett writes to The Royal Mail Steam Packet Company requesting confirmation that he was forced to sign the above mentioned declaration.

Ideas abounded as to why he sought confirmation of his status as a prisoner of war, with suggestions including: the development of the 1916 Easter Uprising in Ireland, and how the attempt to seek a non-aggression treaty there may have been used smear any radicals linked to that movement; a gap in his CV, or record of service that he needed to explain when applying for other jobs; his fear of being smeared as in the pay of the Germans after the war, possibly foreseeing the red scares that would develop as a result of the Russian revolution of 1917. Tony touched upon why Garrett was such a cosmopolitan figure, explaining how George’s involvement with the American Industrial Union known as The Wobblies (The IWW: Industrial Workers of the World), influenced him and gave him such a developed world view. The Wobblies grew in the years leading up to, and on the cusp of the rapid industrialisation of America, which led to a vast itinerant, relatively unskilled workforce, that moved in hordes across the USA in search of work in the grain fields and in the mining towns. The Wobblies believed in One Big Union for all workers, its heyday beginning to come to an end underrelentless repression and the development of the more organised union structures under the AFL-CIO (American federation of Labour-Congress of Industrial Organisations). We discussed in some detail one of George Garrett’s first published articles, Sons of the Sea in the All Power magazine in 1922, within which he describes the torrid conditions endured by seamen, Stokers and Firemen in particular, on the Merchant ships of the time, and within which we can find the seeds of a number of his short stories – Letter Unsigned, Fishmeal and The Maurie. It was an extract from The Maurie that we turned to in exploring further what life was like for the stoker in the hold, and how he likened it to ‘A subterranean theatre’, as the firemen and trimmers ‘swarmed below as one’ for their next watch. Garrett captures in The Maurie, and most importantly from the point of view of the Stoker, the potent mix amongst the fiery heat of the furnaces of the disdain for ‘glass-back duds’, and the spirit, strength of pride and camaraderie amongst the team who drive the ships engines to ever higher revs per minute. The pictures of Garrett as a young stoker show him at this stage in his life with an amused but pride look, a vest stained black with coal dust, a bandage on his right arm and the beginning of the end for any puppy fat he’s carrying from his youth and wanderings in south America, as the rigours of the stokehold begin to mould him into the ‘Stoker with Punch’ he is soon to become.

The George Garrett Archive Course

Module One, Workshop One.

The George Garrett archive Course got off to an excellent on Monday for the first workshop of the opening module, A Stoker With Punch. The room was packed, with 17 people attending; a diverse group of participants with all age groups represented and an almost 50/50 split of men and women. We were also pleased to welcome four members of the Garrett family on to the course. Mike Morris, WoW’s project manager introduced the session by explaining how the project began when George’s Grandson, Michael, brought along a suitcase full of George’s belongings, including original manuscripts of his short stories, his discharge papers and birth and marriage certificates. The tutor, historian, academic and writer, Tony Wailey, introduced the workshop, taking the group through a brief history of George’s early life; being educated at St Vincent’s RC school after his catholic mother won out over his Orange Order supporting father; his radical ‘christening’ when he was on the end of a baton charge at the Bloody Sunday demonstration during the 1911 General Strike, and his first experience of being at sea when he stowed aboard a ship bound for Argentina in 1913 at the age of 17. Why did George Garrett ‘disappear’?, was the first question out of the bag. As Tony explained, this is something the course, and the whole project, is designed to answer, and to also try and redress, bringing to George’s life and work the recognition we feel it deserves.

It was the sea that shaped George’s life from the outset, but there are clear hints in one of the extracts from his work we discussed, The Apostate, that give a clue to the strong sense of social and personal justice that was constantly demonstrated in his personal activities and within his writing. A young boy, ‘Cuff’, forced to wear ‘Dees clothes’, the Police issue hand-outs reserved for the poor, finally plants a detested clog in the face of the priest who is threatening to beat him and his aid the teacher. He escapes to the sound of the other boy’s cheers and the futile threats of the adults. A short extract from his fragmentary biography, Ten Years on the Parish’, reflects on his own escape to sea as a stowaway, and gives a glimpse of the world opening before him as he stealthily boards on of the many ships that lie along Liverpool’s seven mile dock-road, ‘ships whose ports of call touched every one of the seven oceans’. Each one of the groups that we broke into to discuss the handbook questions seemed fascinated by the extract from his short story, Letter Unsigned. A ship is sinking (something George Garrett experienced on more than one occasion), and, the narrator, much to the astonishment and even annoyance of his shipmates who are also drowning in their bunks, strives to write, to get his thoughts down on paper. He states that he ‘belongs entirely’ to the letter he writes, feeling that it is keeping both him and his fellow sufferers alive. With little hope of rescue his asks, ‘…what else can I do but what I am doing: write on?’. He imagines his writing, set to sea in a ‘dixie’, being found one day by some swimming boys upon a shore. ‘What a find for them!’ he exclaims, and what a find for us this has been, and with so much more to come last night’s session really did feel as though we have become those on the shore, discovering his work for the first time and taking the story forward for others to hear.

The workshops are free and open to all. We meet every Monday, 6-8pm in Liverpool John Moores University’s Aldham Robarts Library, Maryland Street, L1 9DE (off Hope Street).

What's Your Story? Feedback

What's Your Story? 

As you know, we are launching two new What's Your Story? workshops this month. 
We thought it was important for you to hear from someone who has taken part in the course...

"Attending the What’s My Story project gave me the incentive to attempt something I’d always wanted to do – write.  Active and constructive criticism from tutors, Paula and Colin along with course peer members’ supportive feedback inspired me to challenge myself to start writing a novel I’d always carried in my heart and wanted to put into words – my parents’ life story.

Having started the novel and completed half a dozen chapters, I wanted to learn more about creative writing and with this in mind I applied for a place on the MA Writing course at Liverpool John Moore’s University. I was delighted to be offered a place and am looking forward to starting it in October.  For me, writing involves one part experience, one part research and one part imagination and if I can improve my writing skills by using these to their utmost degree I may be able to attain my ambition to finish my novel and be able to take pride in completing a novel about which readers will say captured their interest so much so that they couldn’t wait to see what happened next and didn’t want to put it down. Then I will be satisfied that I have completed my goal."

Anne Pritchard

Anne's story is published in our What's Your Story? book and is available on kindle. At the celebration event at the Town Hall Anne was awarded a copy of the book and a certificate by Lord Mayor, Gary Millar. 

What's Your Story? and Refugee Action

Writing on the Wall and Refugee Action are proud to announce they are launching a new creative writing project for refugees and asylum seekers in Merseyside. The workshops will be led by award winning author, Helen Walsh.

The flagship Project, What’s Your Story? aims support new writers and to promote their work to new audiences. What’s Your Story? works with communities and groups across  Merseyside and provides the opportunities for self-expression, reflection and engagement with other writers. WoW is currently delivering What’s Your Story? in partnership with Merseyside Mental Health Consortium and is will embark on new partnership with The Stroke Association later in the month.

Writing on the Wall Festival Director, Madeline Heneghan says:

“We hosted an amazing story-telling event in The WoW festival in May, entitled Where are you from and what’s your story? with authors Karen Campbell and Helen Walsh. The turnout was phenomenal and demonstrated a real desire within the Refugee and Asylum Seeking communities to share personal stories in a creative and supportive environment. With the backing of the European Social Fund, we are now able to provide further opportunities for those stories to be told. By showcasing the work of the participants, this What’s Your Story?project aims to help counteract some of the negative perceptions of Refugees and Asylum Seekers that sadly persist in our society.”

Kevin Keech from Refugee Action:

“We are delighted that people will have the opportunity to hear from refugees and asylum seekers."

Helen Walsh - Course Tutor 

Helen Walsh published her acclaimed debut novel, Brass in 1984.  Her second novel, Once Upon a Time in England tells the story of a love that was doomed right from the start. The backdrop, an all white satellite estate in the North West of England, with the National Front a palpable presence. It was published in 2008 and won the 2009 Somerset Maugham Award. Her third novel, Go to Sleep was published in 2011.
www.helen-walsh.co.uk

The course begins on 23rd of September

For further information and /or details about applying for a place on the course, contact:

Writing on the Wall. 
E- info@writingonthewall.org.uk.
Tel: 0151 703 0020.
www.writingonthewall.org.uk

Refugee Action. 
E-kevink@refugee-action.org.uk
Tel - 01512143039
www.refugee-action.org.uk

For press enquires please contact Madeline Heneghan at
madeline@writingonthewall.org.uk0151 703 0020

New What's Your Story? Writing Course

Writing on the wall and The Stroke Association are delighted to announce they are launching a new creative writing project for stroke survivors in Merseyside. The workshops will be led by spoken word artist and performer, Curtis Watt.

The aim of What’s Your Story? is to support personal development through creative writing and story-telling, with a view to overcoming personal isolation, increasing confidence and preparing learners for more formal learning, employment training and employment. The programme offers the opportunity to engage with others, as well creative activities for self-expression and reflection.

The Stroke Association is the leading charity in the UK changing the world for people affected by stroke.

Kate Charles, Stroke Association Coordinator says:

“The WoW What’s Your Story? project will enable stroke survivors to have a voice to tell their story about the impact of stroke. We have approx. 20 stroke survivors who are all looking forward to the opportunity to get creative and work together. The project is great for raising awareness and the hidden effects of stroke, including (emotional and cognitive) and also showing that there is ‘life after stroke’. The aim is to help stroke survivors increase their confidence and showcase the work to a wider audience that they achieve in this unique project.”

Curtis Watt – Performance Poet.

The workshops sessions will be led by performance artist Curtis Watt, a Liverpool born and based performance poet. Curtis has delivered rap sets and poetry performances at many city centre venues all over Merseyside over the last 13 years. International tours include South Africa, Germany, USA and Czechoslovakia.

Curtis’ Film and television credits for writing and performing song/rap include, ‘Who put the beat in Merseybeat’ and ‘STUSSH 2’, (Granada TV), and as an actor playing KC in ‘Supply & Demand’ (MerseyTV), Simon in ‘The League of Gentleman’ (BBC) plus more.

Writing on the Wall festival Director, Madeline Heneghan says:

"Writing on the Wall believes in the power of creative activity to have a positive effect upon people’s lives. Working with stroke survivors is a very exciting step for us, and with such great success from our previous What's Your Story? courses we are looking forward to what's to come from our newest collaboration with The Stroke Association."

To find out more visit our website

Do You Have A Dream? Performances

Do You Have A Dream? 

WoW are very proud of the writers who took part in workshops led by Curtis Watt with Writing on the Wall and The International Museum of Slavery. Our artists performed their own poems, stories and songs created in response to MLK's I have a Dream speech in 1963. 
 

As they stood on the steps of the Dr Martin Luther King Juniour Building the sun came out and people gathered to hear the voices of our inspired writers. Each performance was individual and personal. We were also joined by the dancers from The Greenhouse Project who performed a moving dance peice at the event.

Brilliant, touching, performances all round. A fantastic event, thanks to everyone involved.