Masham Midsummer Arts Crafts and Collectables Fair Orangutan Protection Fo...

On Sunday 23rd June 2013 we held a Midsummer Arts, Crafts and Collectables Fair/Fundraiser in Masham Town Hall, Masham, North Yorkshire, UK, and raised £1400 (and counting) for the

  Orangutan Protection Foundation

A huge thank you to all of our sponsors, exhibitors, helpers, 

and the people who came to visit.

And as of today I am so proud to be an 

Orangutan Protection Foundation Ambassador.

Masham Music Society - Masham Arts Festival 2009

Can you spot Sat Nav and my niece Amy?
It was Amy's public debut with the Society . . . and I have to say she was brilliant (not that I'm biased, of course!)
Sat Nav was brilliant too!

As part of Masham Arts Festival the Masham Music Society performed in the Home Grown Concert on Sunday night in St Mary's Church.
They sang two songs The Miner's Dream of Home, and Grandfather's Clock. Both songs will be part of their annual performance, which will take place in Masham Town Hall on Saturday 5th December 2009.

All of the singers were in good voice. It was obvious that the audience enjoyed them by their tremendous applause, and compliments.

Can't wait for the full show. Well done!

YLAF 2007

A great start to YLAF on Friday night. Sat Nav and I attended the welcome reception at the Holiday Inn, York. Thank you Crin Claxton and your team for such a warm welcome.

We met some of the other authors and artists appearing at the biggest lesbian literary event in the UK. It was good to catch up with Val Lee and Jenny Roberts again, and to finally meet Tricia Walker.
And what happened on the way home? Yes . . . you've guessed it, we got lost!
We were so busy singing along to my friend Loraine's music, that we totally missed our turning and inadvertently ended up in York city centre at 10.30pm - not the best time to be driving through York!

Saturday morning we were up at 6am! Of course there isn't only the two of us to get ready, we had to leave food prepared for the animals - you would think we had five thousand! Don't worry, our lovely friends and neighbours were seeing to them, we didn't expect the animals to have to help themselves buffet service fashion. Do you know if I could only teach the Labrador to open tins himself I could make millions, but I don't know if I could trust him to share though!

We arrived at York Racecourse for the event at about 9.30am so Sat Nav was right on course with directions. Time for a cup of tea, and to meet up with my facilitators in the green room.

My first panel of the day was to discuss 'Characters' with Marianne K. Martin and Jane Fletcher which was expertly chaired by Val Lee. Of course I had to talk about Dr. Hyacinth Dickinson who I'm sure was sitting somewhere in the audience. It was lovely to meet and chat with Marianne and Jane, but Marianne I would ditch the cola 😂

Early afternoon brought the YLAF Players to the stage with their version of True Pride & Prejudice. This was a brilliant performance and went down a storm. Well done to Crin Claxton for penning this and congrats to Stella Duffy for her marvelously inventive ad libbing. You cracked it girl!

My second panel participation was later in the day when Publishing was our topic. I joined Tricia Walker for this panel which was led by Kelly Smith of Bywater Books. We had a small attendance at this one, but everyone was so wanting to be there that the time just flew and we ran well over. Special thanks to Kelly Smith for hanging in there especially when she had a terrible cold and was not feeling well. Hope you're feeling better today Kelly.

Congratulations Tricia on your book Benedict's Brother sales . . . more books had to be sourced as the stock was sold out. Fantastic.

It was also a pleasure to meet up with and chat to Sarah Waters and Stella Duffy - two very talented women whose writing I admire.

Crin - I see that Sat Nav bought your vampire book . . . looking forward to reading that if I can prize it off her!

To all of the people who attended my panels I would like to say a big thank you and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

And finally to Crin again, and this has to be said . . . what an organizer!
You did an excellent job of organizing the whole event and I hope you will continue to do this. The entire team were brilliant, it appeared to run like clockwork. Great stuff.

The photos are Character Panel left to right...Jane Fletcher, VG Lee, Marianne K. Martin and Ellen Dean. The players on stage are Stella Duffy, Semsem Kuherhi and Crin Claxton. And the Publishing panel, Kelly Smith, Tricia Walker and Ellen Dean. And, Marianne chatting with me Ellen Dean.

Hebden Bridge Arts Festival

We had a lovely drive 'over the tops' to Hebden Bridge and arrived early afternoon in glorious sunshine. Our destination was the Northlights Studio to meet wildlife artist Hannah Lawson. Eventually we found our way there and met not only Hannah but many other artists who work out of this Studio too. It's a great set-up they have there.

After spending a lovely time we ventured out into the . . . yes, you've guessed it..torrential rain, to find the Heart Gallery. I'd discovered that very morning it was managed by a distant relative.

The rain was so bad that we headed for the car; the only sensible thing to do, as we had left the brolly in the boot yet again - when will we ever learn not to trust this bloody weather! Undeterred, and despite the wipers having difficulty coping with the deluge, I drove around and found the Heart Gallery so we were able to go in and say hello to Alison and her daughter Becky.

We headed for home on the main roads this time, again under a heavy sky, when we got a call to say that Gloria had won a raffle prize, however, we were too far along the road to return to Northlights studio to pick it up. Happily we can collect this on our next visit.

If you are ever in Hebden Bridge, do go to Northlights Studio and the Heart Gallery . . . remember to take your cheque books because I can guarantee you will be tempted by the beautiful things on offer.

We drove home through 'weather'......Gloria took this pic of the fabulous rainbow through the car window.