Ticket to pride

It was a magnificent honour for the terminally ill Mike Airey to see his name emblazoned of the vintage Blackpool Standard Tram 147 less than a month before he died on 12th August 2006.  Twelve and a half years later, the tram looks as resplendent as ever. It has recently had a few more buckets … Continue reading Ticket to pride

To whom it may concern

A seasonal ghost story I am well aware of the dangers of walking alone late at night.  I do so by choice, frequently, most nights.  This is because I cannot sleep.  And I’m looking for someone. If you are tempted to walk home after the bars close my advice is always call a cab, but … Continue reading To whom it may concern

PUSHED

When we remember the fallen we should never forget why they fell Remembrance Day is for all who died in the conflicts of the wars of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. This post is predominantly about the Great War that stopped one hundred years ago today. (Technically the war did not ‘end’ then as an … Continue reading PUSHED

Gothsted

WEER AWL OWTSTANDEENG NOWE Another tale from Planet Academia   It all went wrong when they introduced league tables. Prior to that Planet Academia was a delightful place.  It was a world where learning was an expression of the love of knowledge, and academic attainment was a badge of honour. Teachers were guides, mentors, coaches … Continue reading Gothsted

Words, pictures and surgical scars

The creative symbiosis of writing a novel without a name The idea to attempt to compose an untitled novel found momentum at The Word event at Astley Hall in Chorley, Lancashire in September 2013.  Among the speakers were book designers Ned Hoste and Ed Christiano who delivered an informative session on the crafting of book … Continue reading Words, pictures and surgical scars