TWO WEEKS, THREE COUNTRIES. 1. ENGLAND

England. Ipswich.
On Friday 3rd July I set off for Ipswich and the Ip Art Festival, where I was leading two back-to-back flash workshops.
That night, I attended a reception for Martin Bell, who spoke just brilliantly. He covered everything I would have wanted. The breakdown of our political system, thanks largely to the emergence of the first generation of career politicians, a lack of true vocation and plenty of untrammelled greed. The government being the first in history not to have a serving soldier in the cabinet, and the appalling treatment of our soldiers as a result. Wars without reason. Lack of correct equipment. Platitudes from ignoramuses when someone’s son dies as a result.
On Saturday 4th, I ran my two workshops at The Ipswich Institute. 12 writers per workshop, two three-hour sessions with a break for lunch. We worked in the restaurant, as it was the coolest place in the building…a very hot day. They left knackered… so did their tutor!
I had an hour to recover with a cuppa, flat out on a settee in an upper room – before a quick change and an interview led by Gill Lowe of Ipswich University, a reading from Words from a Glass Bubble and a question-and-answer session.
And on 5th, I drove down to Gatwick to hand over my car keys to Chris (husband) prior to flying to Ireland for the West Cork Lit Fest. More in next post.
Many thanks to the organisers of Ip Art literary wing for their invitation, and for their generosity.

.
Photo of Martin Bell from the Daily Mail online, HERE. Excellent article, by the way.