Events
The Thread You Follow - November
Following the overwhelming and humbling response to the first Poems for the Path Ahead residential poetry retreat, which booked up very quickly, we’re delighted to be running a very similar weekend in November 2024. I will be leading The Thread You Follow: faith, prayer and poetry alongside Demelza Henderson, the co-ordinator of Exeter Diocesan Spiritual Direction Network. Rooted in a simple structure of prayer and silence, the weekend will include poetry reading and, for those who want to, poetry writing, at St Rita’s Centre on the outskirts of Honiton in Devon. There will be plenty of time to rest and relax, pray, read and write. If you’d like more details or want a booking form, please email: thethreadyoufollow@gmail.com. If you’d like to find out about other Poems for the Path Ahead events, please visit the contact form on this website and ask to join the mailing list.
The Thread You Follow
Our residential poetry retreat – The Thread You Follow: faith, prayer and poetry – is fully booked (but demand was so great that we are running it again in November, see below). I’m delighted to be leading this weekend alongside Demelza Henderson, the co-ordinator of Exeter Diocesan Spiritual Direction Network. Rooted in a simple structure of prayer and silence, the weekend will include poetry reading and, for those who want to, poetry writing, at the wonderful Sheldon retreat centre on the edge of Dartmoor. There will be plenty of time to rest and relax on this, the first scheduled Poems for the path ahead residential retreat. If you’d like full details of the November event, which will be at St Rita’s Centre in Honiton, please email: thethreadyoufollow@gmail.com. If you’d like to find out about other Poems for the Path Ahead events, please visit the contact form on this website and ask to join the mailing list.
Poetry at the Priory
As part of the Inner Room project from the Parish of Central Exeter I will be facilitating a free, gently-paced workshop at St Nicholas’ Priory in Exeter on Wednesday 22 November between 10am and 1pm. The event will offer the opportunity to try out writing exercises inspired by this beautiful, historic building, as well as the time and space to explore the public areas of the Priory. Booking is essential and the workshop is now full, but if you’re based in Devon and would like to be on the mailing list to learn about future Inner Room events, please email me at the address on the project’s website.
Remembrance concert and 1918-themed tea
Join us on Armistice Day, November 11th, 2023, to commemorate the lives lost in the Great War and subsequent conflicts, at a Remembrance concert and 1918 themed-tea at Ashley Court, Tiverton, Devon. We are offering an hour-long concert programme of reflective cello music and poetry: Cellist Hilary Boxer will be playing movements from Bach's unaccompanied suites - no 2 in D minor, perhaps the most intimate and meditative of his suites, appropriately sombre, followed by the wonderful proclamation of joy expressed in the 3rd suite in C major. Two of my own deeply personal poems, alongside my readings of some familiar war poetry, will accompany Bach's moving and beautiful music. And we'll finish with an uplifting popular song from 1918. Tea and cake to follow, including authentic wartime recipes. Booking essential - for the cost, and more details of what promises to be a very special afternoon, please contact me.