Coming to England Review

 A theatre play at The Garrick, Lichfield,Staffs.

based on the True Story of Baroness Floella Benjamin's life.

Arriving at the newly refurbished Garrick theatre, we were greeted by the sound of school children, quite a considerable amount of them! Renovations in the theatre were not yet complete so no coffee to enjoy whilst we waited for the auditorium doors to open. 

The stage was set with a television boarder and fuzzy black and white backdrop (which older members of the audience will remember when the television was off air). Then the Playschool theme tune and words came on. 'Here's a house, here's a door, here's the windows - one, two, three four.....' I said all the words of its introduction out aloud. I felt so much younger!  Floella, played by Julene Robinson, bounced onto the stage and had a lovely 'high five' 'hello' song to greet us all into her life. 

We were introduced to her family, the way of life in Trinidad, both with family, school life and hopes for a future - her father wanted to be a Jazz player in England. Then we were treated to songs about the lovely foods and the carnivals with dazzling colours and brilliant costumes with feathered headdresses in sunny Trinidad. 

Her father left for England saying he would send for them. Then her mother left with the two youngest children leaving Floella, her elder sister with an 'aunt' (she wasn't a blood relative and treated the girls badly, and the boys were separated from the girls. Her two brothers were not fed properly and made to fight for their food. My heart squeezed at the thought of being abandoned with only hope of ever seeing her parents and siblings again. Letters sent from England didn't get to the children, so no news was received for 18 months.

Finally, the four children were reunited and on the ship travelling to England, without any specific adult supervision, to be reunited with the rest of the family. They arrived cold and dismayed at the way white people reacted towards them. 

As the stage changed to drab London scenes it was a terrible reminder of prejudice at the time of the Windrush. I'm sure in some parts of England some of these prejudices still stand but to our shame. Where would we have been without extra nurses and doctors in our NHS? We invited people into our country for filling gaps in our workforce and then, in public places, discredited them and made them feel like outcasts. Thankfully times have changed and diversity is more common place. 

Floella's story is one of perseverance, patience, determination and kindness showing the school children in attendance that education is key, success is made by your own hard work, reaching your goal with a smile on your face and a good heart, standing up for yourself and knowing what is your problem and what problems are not yours. 

I took the opportunity to meet Baroness Floella Benjamin earlier this year, at the House of Lords in London. She is the President of the Society of Women Writers and Journalists (SWWJ) of which I am a member. It was a surreal day, she is a marvellous ambassador for our organisation and the many charities she supports. She is still smiling at 75 and is still as beautiful as she was on Playschool. I don't know who liked the programme more - me as a young mum or my daughter!! We are both Playschool babies.

The story book for children is available from Amazon

I was glad to see so many primary school children at the theatre and hope they will remember it when they are older. I hope the senior school children will discuss the issue of racism in their school, that the younger generation will not have the struggles that Windrush people experienced and that all people embrace change and diversity.  

An excellent production well-acted and sang. Simple scenery and lovely costumes fitting to the era. 

Well done everyone. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Newsletter August/September 2024

 Yay. More Celebrations.

T’was a special birthday for me on 31^st August but before that, the month went well for Oscar the Owl.

With my husband Peter at Christopher's The Peel Hotel Tamworth

Spa Experience with my daughter, sister and niece at Hoar Cross Hall

10^th-16^th August – my annual visit to Swanwick, The Writer’s Summer School. This year I joined the volunteer’s team and checked delegates into their rooms, then did three sessions of selling raffle tickets throughout the week.

Many courses were available to pick and choose from but I only did a few this year, opting to work on editing my novel instead. One of the two-part courses I attended was led by visiting publishers. Their presentation included some 3-minute slots on stage for attenders to pitch our work to them! It was a nerve-wrecking experience but I was glad I did it. From this they selected six people and offered a publishing contract.

It was my 9^th year attending and The Summer School were celebrating its 75^th year. I met up with four others from The Society of Women Writers and Journalists and quite a few other delegates I have got to know over the years. There are always lots of new people to meet, chat to at meal and coffee breaks, finding out where they are from and what they write.

Oscar the Owl had books in the Bookshop and he loved having fun out and about in the beautiful grounds.

With Karin and Julia

Back home there was a lot to catch up on and preparations for having guests visiting. Unfortunately, a close friend was unable to visit due to covid in her family

but neighbours and friends enjoyed some Oscar cup-cakes as it was also one year since the book launch.

Happy September everyone. 

Thank you to all who follow me on social media and send messages. It is great to connect:

 

Facebook: SueFlint, Author

Twitter/X: @tweetsue13

Instagram: sueflint13

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com

Blog: https://sueflintsfs.blogspot.com

 

 

 

 

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July/August 2024 Newsletter

 Celebration 2 of this year came mid-way in July – Our 50^th Wedding Anniversary. Here we are celebrating in Derbyshire with afternoon tea, Ipswich and later in Constable Country.

What lovely weather we had on our Middleton’s Coach trip to Suffolk staying on the coast at Ipwich looking over the harbour with expensive boats. Highly recommend The Salt House Hotel salthouseharbour.co.uk and www.middletonstours.co.uk

Needless to say, Oscar the Owl had a holiday from being taken out and about so much. But on 21^st July we were back at Hoar Park for a table top sale in the red barn craft event. https://www.hoar-park.co.uk/

          

HAPPY BIRTHDAY OSCAR THE OWL – one year since published into a book.

Many copies have flown to new homes up and down the UK and abroad. Thank you to all who have purchased a copy from me, at an event or from Amazon. I’m truly grateful and it makes me so happy. And a special thank you to those who have written a review too.

Monday 5^th August saw us at The Bank Coffee House, Alrewas, near Burton-on-Trent. We were made so welcome and enjoyed a small audience of 3 girls and one boy, with their parents. The children coloured owl pictures as they waited for the book to be read to them and then were very observant pointing out things in the pictures.

What a lovely venue – nice décor, gifts and card to buy and delicious coffee and cakes etc. You’ll find it just off the A38. http://www.thebankcoffeehouse.co.uk/

Thursday 8^th August we had an interesting train trip to Worcester and paid our second visit to the independent bookshop, Script Haven. https://scripthaven.co.uk/ where Leena invited children and parents in and I read Oscar the Owl to two groups.

 Although my friend Christine lives in Worcester, I had not before spent time walking around the town so took the opportunity to do so before our train trip back to Tamworth. Wow, it is a larger city than I thought.

There’s a Penguin trail for people to follow and children could tick off having spotted them (we have an elephant trail in Tamworth). Such lovely artistic talent on display.

 

 

Lastly, but not least, meet Tommy. He was the lucky winner of a ‘Giveaway’ on Twitter/X. His grandma Louise in Nottingham, shares the same birthday as Oscar and was chosen to win a copy of my book, a T-shirt and knitted owl. I see Postman Pat has the T-shirt on. I just love to receive pictures of children reading Oscar the Owl – Tommy seems engrossed in the pictures. Super cute.

And now it’s time for me to undertake more writing lessons at Swanwick Writers Summer School at The Hayes Conference Centre, https://www.swanwickwritersschool.org.uk/ where, this year, I will be meeting and greeting, selling raffle tickets and having my book in the bookshop as well as attending workshops, enjoying the grounds and WRITING of course! SWSS are celebrating 75 years this year, a fab introduction to writing of any genre, editing, publishing, script writing, etc. Do look them up for details.

 Footnotes:

1.      All photos printed with permission.

 

2.      If you no longer wish to receive these newsletters do let me know.

Book Review

 

 

Publisher: Dragonblade Publishing Inc.

ISBN: 9798328446402

Review (as requested by the Society of Women Writers and Journalists (@SWWJ) for their members magazine)

A captivating start encapsulating a mystery and re-kindled love. The innocence and chivalry of the era is charming.

Kitty has a chaperone, Miss Steele, as her father is trying to marry her off into wealth. Her mother is ill and her sweetheart has returned from war hiding from someone who wants him dead.

There are mysteries to unravel – one within Kitty’s family, and the other in her true love’s family. It has the reader guessing the plots and keeps you page-turning to see if your suspicions are correct.

Henry, H as Kitty likes to call him, and Kitty, hold onto thoughts and feelings which keep their relationship at bay but desire builds within them as chances to be alone together are few. They wrestle with their own inner voices questioning their integrity.  As their secret relationship deepens, so too does the plot.

A ball is the scene of lovely dresses and dignified dancing. Horses and coaches arrive and the evening reveals more of Henry’s Waterloo experience and the antagonists are declared. An unwanted pursuit of marriage scares dear Kitty.

Two evil characters loom large towards the final chapters and fears of an unhappy union appears likely. Leading up to the ending is a tense gallop. A race against time; an army of good chasing evil. Will Kitty be Lost or Found? Will Henry’s love conquer the dire situation they find themselves in?

I was enthralled all the way through, all the characters gave life to the tale. I would recommend Jenny’s book to those who relish period dramas.