http://felixstowescribblers.com
http://nar8or.blogspot.com
http://onlinescribblers.com

For all your research and information for writers
visit your local Felixstowe Library
and the Suffolk Record Office .

FELIXSTOWE SCRIBBLERS NEWSHEET

Incorporating
the

REPORT OF THE MEETING HELD 6th MAY 2008

In the Chair: Dick.

Apologies for absence were received from Alex, Peter and Rosie.

In attendance Debbie, Ali, Tony, Jane, Trish, Liliane, Morag, Steven and Lauren, Barry, Dave and Dick.

An extra Tuesday in April meant a three week gap between meetings, and goodness, the “excitement” we had during that time! Namely one World War Two bomb that was found, then towed out to sea, lost, found and then detonated. During this worrying saga we understand that Kay was one of the Scribblers who had to evacuate and ended up ’house sitting’ for Morag who was away on holiday at the time. Incidentally, Morag was back in Felixstowe at the home of a former Scribbler, Sue Smith, when the bomb was detonated and shook the house. It makes one understand the need for such an exclusion zone.

As a footnote to this, Felixstowe TV provided some really excellent coverage with the footage still available to view on their website at http://www.felixstowetv.co.uk/news.php

THE BILL BUDNER COMPETITION sponsored by Maureen.

Confirmation of the results of the competition are:-

ADULT
1st Ruth Dugdall - Old Dogs & New Tricks
2nd Kayley Lyndle - Off the Beaten Track
joint 3rd - Morag Clarke - Suspicious Minds
joint 3rd - Una McMorran - The Waiting Room

CHILDRENS
1st - Harriet Avery (aged 14) - It all started when...
2nd - Emily Sims (aged 11) - Cooking up Trouble
3rd - Megan Payne (aged 9) - Valentina the Doctor`s Daughter.

Maureen enjoyed the competition but with fifty one entries she needed help judging the entries with a friend and her son. Our sincerest thanks to Maureen for making this possible and, of course, congratulations to all the winners.

SCRIBBLERS NEWS

Nice to welcome back Debbie, Trish and Ali to our meeting.

Alex missed the meeting as he is in Scotland where his sister was married at the Bank Holiday. Let’s hope their weather was as good as ours!

Rosie has dropped out of the Scribblers for the time being because of revision for her GCSEs. Fingers crossed that it all pays dividends and she gets her passes. So best of luck Rosie and see you whenever you can make it back.

Peter is of course on the other side of the world by now and will miss the next two meetings as well. Doubtless he’ll come back with an Australian twang to his Suffick haccent.

Caz sent her sincerest thanks to The Felixstowe Scribblers for the collection in aid of Jack’s Just Giving fundraiser for EACH. The Scribblers are mentioned on their website.
An update on Liam can be viewed at

www.itvlocal.com/anglia/?player=ANG_HomePage_15&void=159027
www.itvlocal.com/anglia/?player=ANG_HomePage_15&void=183863
www.itvlocal.com/anglia/?player=ANG_HomePage_15&void=120444

Tony’s brother has had his first book published in the USA where he lives. His first attempt, a saga of over a million words never made it, but this book was conceived written and published in just a few short months. Perhaps there is a market for publishing Stateside.

A message has arrived from Pat who has been missing for a while. She says

“I regret that I have not been able to attend recently. This year, Tuesday is proving to be a bad day for me because it is our main competition day at my golf club, and, as I am Lady Captain, I have a lot of work that day and usually that evening. But I do hope to see you all soon. I do enjoy the meetings.”

Scott has also been in contact and apologises for missing the last two meetings. The first was a little depression over his injured leg that led to an inability to do any fitness training. Overall this has given him not helped and this, can you believe it, has led to his first ever writers block. Scott and Aimee are off on holiday this Saturday and now, it seems, may also be starting another Tuesday class. Let’s hope they have a lovely relaxing holiday and come back refreshed and with fresh literary ideas for Scott. Just as an aside, there are some tips at http://onlinescribblers.com covering writers block.


A reminder that the Ipswich Arts Festival runs from June 28th until July 13th and will include three different writers’ workshops during the fortnight. Details of the events will be released early in May. Check out the website for more details including the 2008 Short Story Competition that has cash and book tokens available in three categories, Adult, Young People (ages 12-16) and Children (ages 7-11). The subject is for a 500 word story on ’Migration’ whilst the children’s competition calls for 250 words on ’Journeys’. Be warned that the closing date is rapidly approaching - Friday May 16th, so if you haven’t yet entered then visit
http://www.ip-art.com/news_details.php?id=26
This will give you all the details you need.

A NEW AUTHOR ON THE BLOCK

We are pleased as punch that our Judy has at last had her book published. Entitled “Like Ships That Pass in the Night”, a cover shot is available on our weblog along with the LAWRENCE MEDIA press release. The book costs £12.99 and is available from Amazon or can be ordered from bookshops.

Well done Judy!

Of course there has been some not so good news for Judy. Her passion for Burma and the tales and pictures she has provided for us in the past, has been tempered by the dreadful tragedy that has cost so many lives. Judy says “Our friend and guide Zuu appears to be missing and my London-based Burmese friend is in distress as his parents live in Yangon and sister and family in the devastated delta region. He has no means of finding out whether they are even alive. I am so sad for them all.” I am certain that all Scribblers share Judy’s concerns.

AFTER THE MEETING - by Dave

Locked up after the meeting and the alarm activated. Had to re-enter the building and check round thoroughly before discovering a window on the upper floor had not been properly closed. The alarm reset perfectly after that.

On the way back to Ipswich along the A14, first a motorcyclist joined dead in front of me and disappeared into the distance at approaching a ton. I was travelling at 70mph and being caught and overtaken by a very fast moving car when another vehicle, a taxi, came from the Trimleys to join the A14, accelerating hard and beginning to pass me on the inside - I had nowhere to go, but the idiot of a taxi driver decided to brake hard after nearly spearing me in the side. He hung back and then came past me a few miles down the road well in excess of the speed limit.

If you think that was enough, coming off the A12 were two fire engines, blue lights flashing and I got trapped between them. I couldn’t brake to let the second one past to begin with because it was not safe to do so. Although I pulled to the side, I kept driving as I did not want to cause an accident by stopping but the following fire engine did not attempt to pass. The Orwell Bridge and cones, miles of cones. The leading fire engine was caught behind a stream of slower moving traffic and then - ahead I could see all the blue lights, police vehicles all over the place - that’s when the second engine came past me. There was carnage at the Wherstead turn-off and, although only two vehicles were apparently involved there were many more slewed all round the scene. From the newspaper reports the driver of the car involved is critical.

After that, I got home safely, though perhaps a little shakily! One could say that the library alarm delayed me sufficiently to avoid being directly involved in the accident…..

The platform:

The Open 1,500 word work:

Liliane: Too Long at the Fair.
Dick : Just Like Robbing ‘ood.

The Themed 500 word assignments on ‘Fair or Fare‘:

Debbie: Cloven
Ali: The Snarl’s Tale
Lauren: Random Story Part Three.
Tony: The Things We Do for Timothy Whiteboots
Jane: All the Fun of the Fair.
Trish: Strawberry Fair.
Barry: The Cricket Club.
Dave: Fair.

Dick and Dave then read out a short script for Bill and Bert of The Lost Sock fame, entitled “The Navy Lark - Felixstowe.” Guess what that was about! Tony was asked if we could write a 30 minute skit on the missing bomb…. That’s one for the melting pot perhaps.

Next meeting Tuesday 20th May - and another special meeting.

This time it is the Bill Budner Trophy up for grabs. This means that the homework is on any theme and in any genre you wish.

The only stipulations are that your work must be typed and anonymous - so you must not include your name at all.

The work will be laid face down on a table and then Scribblers will pick an entry, have a few minutes to familiarise themselves with the work before reading it out to the group. Everyone will have the opportunity to mark each work, the winner being announced later in the evening with the trophy being presented to them by the current holder, Morag.


Thanks to Barry, Lauren and Steven for providing the eats again.

Until next time,

Keep Scribbling!

Dave (for Dick)

*****

HOW THE OTHERS DO IT - THE RIVERSIDE WRITERS

Contents:
1) Riverside Writers' next meeting - dates & writing project.
2) AGM Report for 2008.
3) Photos of Words from Wordsmiths
The next meeting of Riverside Writers will take place at 7.30-9.30pm at West Kirby Library in The Concourse, on Monday, May 19th.
May's writing project is set on the theme of The Stray Shoe. How many times, when you've been travelling around, have you seen a perfectly good shoe flung onto a grass verge or bus stop roof, or similar? Who did the shoe belong to, and how did it get there? Where is the other shoe now, and who has it? In a poem or short story (of any length), tell the story of the stray shoe.
AGM Report for 2008
Founded in 1998 by Val New, the group has recently been experiencing a dramatic increase of membership. A year ago, the group was on the verge of being disbanded due to poor attendance, but this is most certainly not the situation now.
AGM 2008 ELECTIONS!
After many years of service, Val New has retired as Treasurer. We thank her for all her hard work. Our new Treasurer is Peter Hurd, who writes poetry, non-fiction and fiction in several genres.
Tim Hulme was re-elected as Secretary. Tim’s humorous stories have been broadcast on Radio Merseyside, and his work has been published in The New Cauldron magazine.
Adele Cosgrove-Bray was re-elected as Chairperson. Adele has been published by Hadley Rille Books, Dark Moon Press, Prediction Magazine and others. For more information visit:- http://www.adelecosgrove-bray.com . Or try her MySpace site:- http://www.myspace.com/whimsicalpixels .
SUMMARY OF “WORDS FROM WORDSMITHS”
Riverside Writers presented Words from Wordmsiths on April 7th, as part of Wirral BookFest. Everyone who took part in this well-attended evening of readings enjoyed the experience and considers the event to have been a success. West Kirby Library has invited us to hold a similar event next year, which is excellent news.
SUMMARY OF GROUP WRITING PROJECTS
Each month, Riverside Writers set a project wherein everyone in encouraged to write either a poem of short story (of any length) to a particular theme. The theme might be a specific location, or inspired by an unusual photograph or phrase, or there might be a required opening sentence. Sometimes a random bunch of words (eg. potato, cuckoo clock, ballet shoe, Lamborghini) might have to be used within the same written piece.
Participation is not mandatory, but everyone who has taken part has found the exercise worthwhile, both in terms of improving their writing skills and confidence, and in providing them with a body of work.
The projects have also given the meetings a focus.
GROUP PURPOSE (in no particular order)
a) To encourage people to write.
b) To offer constructive, polite criticism of each others’ work.
c) To offer useful advice about the publishing industry.
d) To encourage use of the internet as a networking tool.
e) To provide a friendly and informal atmosphere where writers of all genres and abilities can socialise.
A copy of this AGM report can be read at http://www.myspace.com/riversidewriters where comments can be left.

From Judy - her first and very entertaining book

From Judy - her first and very entertaining book

'Like Ships that Pass in the Night'

LAWRENCE MEDIA
The Shipway, Mallard Way,
Hollesley, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12 3QJ
Tel/fax: 01394 410203
email: lawrencemediapr@aol.com
PRESS RELEASE
May 1 2008

Suffolk Sailor's Adventures at Sea

A Suffolk woman who spent almost a decade exploring the oceans in a wooden boat has just published an account of her adventures.

Judy Clements, who lives in Eyke with her partner Ron Cushing, describes how she overcame sea-sickness, horrendous storms and hours of tedium in her first book, .

In 1988 Judy and Ron gave up their secure jobs and a home in London to live aboard their 38-foot sailing boat, Fram. Yet Judy and Ron weren't born to the sea. Until they undertook their first trial sail back in 1981 they were complete novices. Now, 25 years later, they're among the most experienced sailing members of Woodbridge Cruising Club.

Admits Judy: 'The true joy of sailing is meeting so many fascinating people. The characters we met during those early years made each voyage thoroughly memorable. On one trip to Menorca we met a minder from London's east end, bent on revenge after his best friend seduced his wife. On another a crack addict stole from us in Dominica, landing us in the lap of the local law.'

Some encounters proved more hospitable, though. Judy and Ron were delighted when a platoon of soldiers stationed on a small Greek island entertained them to Sunday lunch.

Although Judy and Ron are now both pensioners they've not lost their sense of adventure. They're still cruising in Fram, but are content with making shorter trips across the North Sea to Holland and Scandinavia.

'Like Ships that Pass in the Night' is published on May 6th by Discovered Authors in their DA Diamonds imprint, price £12.99. It is available from Amazon or can be ordered from bookshops.

Judy Clements is available for interviews and can be contacted by email at ronjude_eyke@hotmail.com

Angela Lawrence, Lawrence Media. Email: lawrencemediapr@aol.comPress & Publicity Officer, Woodbridge Cruising Club.

OUR NEXT MEETING

After an extra week waiting for our next meeting, the day is fast approaching. With a 500 word homework theme on 'FARE' or 'FAIR' for the meeting on Tuesday 6th May which takes place in the Cafe Libra at Felixstowe Library, start time at 7.30pm. The two long open themed pieces will be by Dick and Liliane.

The last two weeks have brought all sorts of interest in Felixstowe namely the villain of the peace, one hefty 1,000lb German bomb from WWII. It must be said that the Navy did everything in their power to make Felixstowe residents safe in the first instance before retrieving the situation after 'losing' the bomb. Their underwater 'REMUS' eventually located the bomb and then detonated it. Who provided great coverage from day one until the mission had been completed, none other than Felixstowe TV. Well done to them! And of course the Navy!

Coming up this weekend are some great events in the area, none more than the Ipswich to Felixstowe Historic Vehicle Run with vehicles leaving Christchurch Park Ipswich at 11.30 Sunday morning then being displayed on the promenade at Felixstowe during the afternnon. Usually a great day! Then, of course, there's the Ipswich - Hull football match on the same day, Ipswich vs Peterborough speedway on Monday and the celebration of the Town's greatest cup victory 30 years ago. The local press will have full details.

Our friend and member of the Online Scribblers Rochelle Moore has finished writing another book - "Witch" and has sent it off to publishers in both the UK and the US. It sounds as if there is positive interest from the UK publisher whilst there are also favourable signs across the pond. Fingers crossed for her.

For those not aware, Liam Fairhurst who raised a mega amount of money in memory of Jack, had an operation last week for cancer. A large part of his lung was removed but he is in good spirits and is already back at home. Let's send our thoughts out to him.

Hope to see you Tuesday but in the meantime, enjoy your weekend!

Keep Scribbling!

GOTCHA!

The Royal Navy this evening brought to an end the saga of the WWII bomb. Thanks to their expensive underwater technology in Remus,the erstwhile bomb was located and was finally detonated approximately 1.5 miles from shore. Local television cameras recorded the explosion that could be felt on land, as the spout of seawater shot around 150 feet into the air.

For a look at the event, from start to finish of the whole saga since the bomb originally washed up on the shore, go to Felixstowe TV who have provided some really excellent footage and reports.

And thanks should also go to the Royal Navy for their perseverance in locating and dealing with the wayward bomb.

FELIXSTOWE SCRIBBLERS NEXT MEETING

The next meeting takes place on Tuesday 6th May in the Cafe Libra at Felixstowe Library (start 7.30pm).

BOMBS AWAY (ON WALKABOUT)

The missing 1,000lb WWII bomb that lays somewhere on the seabed is still missing. In an effort to detect it, the Royal Navy have brought in their impressive underwater device named Remus. This covers a defined search area of the seabed scanning for the bomb. Anything that looks remotely like it will be identified with divers going down to examine the item but, so far, no luck.

If you would like to see more of their amazing device then log onto Felixstowe TV where there is a weeks supply of newsreel on the bomb including an excellent filmed explanation of Remus.

Well worth a few minutes to view it.

Well done Felixstowe TV for keeping us all in the picture!

WILL THEY EVER FIND IT?

Yes. You've guessed it!

Day five and even using the most expensive underwater device to scan the seabed, the bomb is still missing.

Questions have been asked over the reliability of the GPS location as the search area has been increased. Felixstowe, Suffolk and much of England awaits the final outcome.

Just as a little reminder, the bomb, photographed by Miles Wakefield, of Team Van Oord and published on Felixstowe TV. looks just like this.......

OUR NEXT MEETING - TUESDAY 6th MAY

We have an extra week to wait until our next meeting. Because of the 'extra' Tuesday in April, the next time we meet will be on Tuesday 6th May in the Cafe Libra at Felixstowe Library starting at 7.30pm.

The homework theme is for 500 words on "FARE" or "FAIR". Fair enough?

We received a very big 'Thankyou' from Caz for the donation we made from our tea and coffee fund towards the Ride for Life in memory of Jack Caz and Karl will be doing the ride on 18th May. You can see, and possibly donate on line to the cause by going to the website where further details and donations are shown. The website is at www.justgiving.com/jackwilkinson

We have heard that young Liam Fairhurst has had a long operation in his battle against cancer and a copy of the Cambridge News report and picture can be viewed on our weblog at http://nar8or.blogspot.com.

The results of the Bill Budner competition have already been circulated, but this has brought some good news from a Scribbler of old, Geraldine Rose who has just won the Irish post Journalism prize with an article called 'Making skeletons dance.' Geraldine is absolutely thrilled and will be off to Listowel to collect her prize at the end of May. Recently our friend Belinda won the Online Scribblers competition too, so many congratulions to the winners all. Well done!

Who has been following the bomb saga at Felixstowe this week? Five days now and the Navy have managed to remove the bomb from the beach and then let it slip away into the unknown. The weblog believes this may not be a German bomb after all but more like an Australian one that's gone walkabout.... No doubt we will hear a lot more on the subject until the bomb is located and finally detonated. Were any of our Scribblers evacuated on Monday? I have a feeling that two of our friends may have been and I wonder how they coped during those worrying hours when a large area of Felixstowe became an exclusion zone?

Had an email from our Cairns based friend Chris the other day. He says that he is pre-occupied with writing. partaking in a ‘Women’s Weekly Short Story competition’ in Australia with two stories of not more than 5000 words both written from a women’s viewpoint. He's also collaborating in writing a book on the History of Stratford-the one down under and not ours-and a book of his own short stories which he is thinking of getting privately printed. On top of that he does the occasional piece for scribblers and online scribblers too. Chris thought it worth mentioning that none of this would have happened if he had not come along to the Scribblers meeting last July and received such support for his piece on the cats. That was the turning point! If people who knew about writing liked it, he said, maybe he should do more of it, especially as he enjoys it so much. Chris rounded off by sending his best to the 'troops'.

Guess we get the blame for his refreshing interest in writing!

Hope to see you all on May 6th.

Until then,

Keep Scribbling!

Brave Liam has nine hours of lung surgery

Liam Fairhurst, well known to Felixstowe Scribblers as a friend and fundraiser in memory of Jack Wilkinson, has undergone further surgery in his battle against cancer. Liam and Jack met at Addenbrooke's when they were undergoing treatment for cancer and when Jack passed, Liam began his tremendous fundraising campaign.

Here, in full, is the report that was published in the Cambridge News.

Brave Liam has nine hours of lung surgery

jack.grove@cambridge-news.co.uk




CHAMPION fundraiser Liam Fairhurst has undergone nine hours of surgery in his latest round of his battle with cancer.

The brave 13-year-old had major lung surgery at Addenbrooke's Hospital to remove a tumour.

Liam's father Mark told the News Liam was unconscious for 24 hours following Wednesday's operation.

However, he added he was now conscious. Mark said: "I would like to thank the medical staff and the surgeon, Mr Samuels. The operation was successful.

"The operation has gone well and hopefully marks the last of his cancer."

Liam's incredible fundraising efforts while battling cancer last year has seen him hit the headlines across the country.

The Soham Village College pupil has raised an amazing £145,000 for cancer charity CLIC Sargent, with money continuing to pour into his appeal.
His inspirational example has also seen him meet with Gordon Brown, Princes William and Harry and Professor Stephen Hawking.

The Prime Minister was so impressed with the Soham teenager that he even mentioned him in his first Labour Party Conference speech in September.

He also has donated a bottle of whisky - autographed by his entire Cabinet - for Liam to auction online, with bidding now standing at £1,000.

Wishing Liam well last week, Mr Brown said: "Liam is a fantastic young man who is constantly a great inspiration to others, and he continues to make a huge effort to improve life for other children with cancer."

Liam has also supported the News's campaign to raise £1million for a specialist teenage cancer ward at Addenbrooke's Hospital.

He is also on a children's board that allows young people with experience as patients to have a say on £80 million plans for a world-class children's centre at Addenbrooke's Hospital.

The board, called ACTIVE (Addenbrooke's Children and Teenagers' Ideas and Venture Enterprise), has 28 members aged eight to 18 and has already met twice.

It is hoped the children's hospital will rank alongside major children's centres such as Great Ormond Street in London and Alder Hey in Liverpool.

Building work could begin by 2010, with the first patients admitted in 2013.
Published: 24/04/2008 12:51:02

"COR BLAST ME, BOY!"

The elusive unexploded bomb still lays somewhere on the sea floor some two miles out at from the Felixstowe shoreline. Despite the Royal Naval staff knowing the GPS location, their divers have still to find the bomb. With zero visibility it means a virtual finger tip search or a trawl of the seabed to find it.

and that when the bomb is found and detonated, they will be able to see a spout of water estimated to be some 200 feet in the air. The imminent danger was removed when the bomb was towed out to sea and residents are assured of their safety.

Here in Suffolk we have a well known phrase - "Cor blast me, boy!" - which seems an appropriate invitation from the bomb to the navy.

WHERE'S IT GONE?

At the time of writing, the 1,000lb German bomb has done a disappearing act making one or two folk wonder if this could be an Australian bomb gone walkabout?

On a more serious note, the bomb has slipped it's buoy and is on the sea bed but because of the very poor visibility, the divers have to locate it by touch. Whether it is found tonight or tomorrow, the earliest expected detonation will be tomorrow (Thursday). It is approximately two miles from shore so it poses no further danger to Felixstowe residents.

THE BIG, BAD, BOMB

Now identified as a 1,000lb German bomb from World War Two, Felixstowe and its residents need to wait until Wednesday morning at the earliest for the bomb to be detonated.

With the bomb having been moved a mile out to sea, the half-mile exclusion zone from the sea front has been lifted meaning that all the evacuated residents have been able to return home as Felixstowe gets back to some normality.

The news of the bomb has generated a great deal of newsreel on our Felixstowe and this may provide a real boost to the our local holiday trade. Let's hope so!

RESULT! THE BILL BUDNER SHORT STORY COMPETITION

ADULT
1st Ruth Dugdall - Old Dogs & New Tricks
2nd Kayley Lyndle - Off the Beaten Track
joint 3rd - Morag Clarke - Suspicious Minds
joint 3rd - Una McMorran - The Waiting Room

CHILDRENS
1st - Harriet Avery (aged 14) - It all started when...
2nd - Emily Sims (aged 11) - Cooking up Trouble
3rd - Megan Payne (aged 9) - Valentina the Doctor`s Daughter

Maureen Budner judged the competition along with a librarian friend and her son, using a point system. She was thrilled with the number of entries and enjoyed doing it.

So hearty congratulations to the winners who will be contacted in the very near future.

Well done everyone!

Felixstowe residents are being asked to evacuate their homes in a mile exclusion zone from the beach after an American World War Two bomb - reputed to be a 500lb device, was dredged up at 06.30 today.

The culprit, shown here, appears on the Felixstowe TV page and was photographed by Miles Wakefield, of Team Van Oord.