Hello, and thank you for visiting my site. I hope that you'll return often and always find something of interest about my world and what inspires me to pick up a pen. (This is a figure of speech, unfortunately. My handwriting is terrible!) Here's what I've been up to recently...
Red kites fly again!
Only a very occasional poet, I was very pleased to find this in the BBC Wildlife magazine.
Eccup reservoir is very close to North Yorkshire’s Harewood House, where there is a feeding station for these magnificent birds. The Emmerdale village is also in the grounds, so I had many opportunities to observe them during my years as a television ‘extra’. They disrupted filming on more than one occasion, notably on the day when some helium balloons were launched to celebrate a character’s birthday and the birds attacked them.
Please go to the Stories and Poems section of this website if you’d like to read ‘Red Kites’.
13 December, 2024 - Make the first comment on this story
Celebrating a friend’s success!
Tina Shingler and I first met many years ago as members of Ripon Writers’ Group and her work has always impressed me. Struggling with the hair that is so much a part of Tina’s identity is a thread that runs through the new book. but there is far more to it than that. Growing up as almost the only non-white child in a small rural community was a tough start in life, but Tina’s intelligence and determination led her into a career that has included teaching in Florence and working at the Italian Embassy in Washington D.C.
Needless to say, I was delighted to attend the launch at the Little Ripon Bookshop and lay my hands on a copy of Hair Apparent. It’s a great title and a cracking read!
13 December, 2024 - Make the first comment on this story
Sessay Tuesday Club
It had been a while since I gave a talk, so I was very pleased to be invited to Sessay Tuesday Club. Accompanied by my ‘tech team’ of husband and younger son, I arrived at the village hall in plenty of time to set up and was given a big welcome. Actually, I could have managed on my own as the hall is very well equipped with technology, but that’s not always a given, so we had taken our own laptop, projector and extension cable ‘just in case’. It was a happy coincidence to find a former member of Ripon Writers’ Group in charge, so we were able to catch up a little too.
The talk the Club had chosen was about my time as a television/film ‘extra’ and I enjoyed sharing some memories of those years with the members. There is plenty about it that I miss, although certainly not the early morning starts and driving back and forth to filming venues in all weathers.
9 October, 2024 - Make the first comment on this story
Ripon Poetry Festival
Ripon Writers’ Group and Write-On! Ripon were both well represented at the open mic, which we co-hosted this year at the Arts Hub on Allhallowgate. It was good to see some new faces as well as many of the regular participants and hear a wide variety of poetic styles and subject matter.
Having attended the launch of this year’s children’s anthology – I was very pleased to have been one of the judges for the 12-18 category – I met fellow Swanwickers Penny Blackburn and Susanna Lewis in the bar. In the photo, kindly taken for us by Tony Lewis, we’re all brandishing copies of the main Festival anthology in which we each have a poem. Actually Penny has two and Susanna has the added kudos of coming second in the annual competition. Well done, ladies!
We took to the stage in turn to read our poems to an appreciative audience composed of other contributors to the anthology and their guests. As ever, there was a great variety of poetic styles and themes and it was a very enjoyable evening.
22 September, 2024 - Make the first comment on this story
Caught on camera
Having gone along to watch the filming of Bargain Hunt at our local auction house, purely for the experience, I was amused to discover that I’d been caught on camera. Umpteen people have been in touch to say that they spotted me and wondered what I’d bought.
The answer to that is nothing, but the staff at Elstob & Elstob were very friendly and even gave me a cup of tea. It was interesting to watch three of the BH regulars in action. Caroline Hawley was the presenter on this occasion with Philip Serrell and Jonathan Pratt as the experts guiding the red and blue teams.
22 September, 2024 - Make the first comment on this story
Swanwick 2024
This year marks the Diamond Anniversary of the Swanwick Writers’ Summer School and my 18th consecutive attendance. ‘Swanwick’ is without doubt the oldest writers’ school in the UK and, quite possibly, in the whole world. Born in 1948 to bring UK-wide writers’ circles together annually, it has only been cancelled once in its long history. That was, of course, in 2020, the year in which Covid-19 had such a damaging effect on almost every aspect of our lives.
Having benefited greatly from the School myself, it is only natural that I want to give back as much as I can. As one of a team of Ambassadors, I helped new Swanwickers to find their feet by showing them around, hosting one of their reserved dinner tables on the first evening and being generally on hand during the week. In addition, I co-hosted the Prose Open Mic session as usual with Jen Wilson, making sure that everyone who had signed up for it got their fair share of the time available, did three shifts in the Book Shop and taught a two-part course on writing ‘fillers’. No wonder that I got through even more tea than usual this year, but the machines in the bar area are available free of charge from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and every bedroom has its own drinks making facilities.
It wasn’t all work, of course. Swanwick is just as much about meeting up with old friends and making new ones. For most of the week we were blessed with warm sunny weather and could enjoy the glorious grounds of The Hayes as well as take part in a wide variety of activities, some more serious than others. My choices included learning more about crime writing, psychological thrillers, overcoming taboos and developing characterization. I also enjoyed joining a quiz team, taking part in the Poetry Open Mic session, glamming up for this year’s ‘Diamonds are Forever’ fancy dress theme, watching the short plays chosen for Page to Stage, listening to speakers Adele Parks, Lesley Kara and Luke Wright and applauding the success of fellow Swanwickers as they launched their new books. Pictured in the gallery are Andy Roberts, whose technical know-how has been invaluable to me this year and Jo Harthan, who persuaded those of us who ventured into her workshop to ‘Take a Walk on the Wild Side’. (Suffice it to say that I could have been spotted in the wooded area below Lakeside trying to get inside the skin – or rather fur – of a sloth!)
On the last evening, we celebrated the Diamond Anniversary in style. The Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire, Mrs Elizabeth Fothergill CBE, cut the huge iced cake presented by The Hayes and we toasted the School with glasses of prosecco. After the special dinner, we were back in the Main Conference Hall to see the award of a great many prizes, the drawing of the raffle and watch a farewell sketch from some of the usual suspects.
I won the Chair’s Challenge and was presented with my prize by outgoing Chairman Gerald Hornsby. The following morning, many of us took time out from our packing to wave goodbye to those travelling back to Derby station by coach. Yet another cherished Swanwick tradition!
What could possibly go wrong with these two at the helm? Photographer extraordinaire Keith Hinchy and Swanwick stalwart Maria Hennings Hunt are our newly elected Chair and Vice Chair.
20 August, 2024 - Make the first comment on this story
What a weekend!
Hardly a moment spent at my desk this weekend, as it was taken up with attending fundraisers for two of Ripon’s good causes.
Saturday saw me at a garden party on the lawn behind the Old Deanery. Held to raise funds for the ‘Save our Trees’ campaign, it offered afternoon tea, musical entertainment and a talk on the importance of saving ancient trees. The trees currently in danger are the ones that would be cut down if plans for a large new building to house extra facilities for Ripon Cathedral go ahead. No one is against our cherished cathedral having what it needs. The argument is purely over the location.
On Sunday I was at a ceilidh hosted by the Claro Lounge in support of Ripon Men’s Shed. A buffet supper was included in the ticket price and much fun was had by all who attended. It was the first time I’d ventured out to dance since my foot surgery last year, so I prudently paired my black and white outfit with trainers and found that I was far from alone in that. Despite the best efforts of the caller, there is always a degree of chaos and high heels would definitely not have been a good idea!
23 July, 2024 - Make the first comment on this story
Wonderful news!
I’m delighted to announce that SpellBound Books Ltd. has offered to publish my memoir of the summer I spent as a camp counselor and ‘riding the Dog’ across the USA. The Dog – or rather Dogs in question were, of course, Greyhound buses, which offered amazing value to young and cash-strapped overseas visitors.
The link is with Facebook, so may not work for everyone. If you’re struggling, please let me know in the comments and I’ll endeavour to send you the details by a different route. https://www.facebook.com/maggie.cobbett/posts/pfbid0cVfGUVuKw9rVkMRwwnKz2LvPufqQNAYxPP8rMYjumyWe1adKRychwBMCTxF6HuG3l?notif_id=1718893755043029¬if_t=feedback_reaction_generic&ref=notif
20 June, 2024 - Make the first comment on this story
Memories of Owen’s Park
https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/nostalgia/its-very-special-place-end-29348843
I never expected to be featured in the Manchester Evening News and yet here I am. You’ll have to scroll down to the end, though, to find my contribution. There’s even a photograph, albeit creased, that once graced my students’ union card.
The photo of Platt Fields Park, on the other hand, reminds me of a tug of war that once took place during Rag Week. The rope was stretched across part of the pond and the women’s team had sneakily tied their end to some railings. Our victory saw some of the men falling into the freezing water and we had to run for our lives!
My two years ‘in hall’ were a very happy time, which is probably why my memories are still so fresh. At eighteen and living away from home for the first time, I couldn’t have been given a better introduction to student life. For the modest sum of £6 a week, I was fed and housed in a great deal more comfort than many of my contemporaries, some of whom lived in almost slum like conditions around the city. A much appreciated bonus was that Owen’s Park, being new and somewhat experimental, was a mixed hall of residence and therefore free from the restrictions placed on undergraduates – particularly female ones – by more traditional establishments.
The extracts that appear were taken from recollections sent to the University of Manchester Alumni Association in response to an appeal to former residents.
19 June, 2024 - Make the first comment on this story
A poetry book launched by one of our own!
Even without the inducement of drinks and cakes, Write-On! Ripon members would have turned out in force to hear our very own Caroline Matusiak reading some the poems inspired by her regular travels on the Number 36 Ripon to Harrogate bus route. It was a very enjoyable afternoon.
Copies of the new book are currently available from Caroline herself or from The Little Ripon Bookshop.
11 June, 2024 - Make the first comment on this story
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