MEETING REPORT

FELIXSTOWE SCRIBBLERS NEWSHEET

Incorporating
the

REPORT OF THE MEETING HELD 21st JULY 2009

APOLOGIES: Ruth (Norway), Ros (Belgium), Sue, Angela L, Sandy, Debbie.

ATTENDING: Peter (chair), Jack, Jane, Les, Trish, Dave, Dick, Tony, Angela P, Ally, Simon, Barry and Liliane.

MATTERS ARISING and NEWS:

A warm welcome to Simon who was introduced to the group by Ally. Simon informed us that he writes songs in his spare time. It is a many a long year since we had a songwriter in our midst.

The Summer Social Beach Party: Around fifteen brave souls attended the fourth annual beach party, the third at Ruth's hut. A bit breezy to begin with, then a downpour tried to spoil events as we tried to set a new world record for the number of people in a beach hut! The rain soon passed by, the wind dropped and it turned out into a lovely evening.

How nice to see 'old' faces Lauren and Rosie fresh from their exams, along with Alex making his return after a number of weeks absence and even Giles from Felixstowe TV made an appearance – fortunately without camera!

Had Giles been fully equipped with camera, he would have seen the monster from the deep – or was it just Jane’s son Jack – paddling????

Plenty of talk about books and literature, of the impending retirement of the secretary next year, the anthology book launch and a miscellany of other topical subjects. Sad to say nobody seems to know who won this years IpArt writing competition except that it was not our Angela P, last years winner who was short listed once again.

It was a nice social event and everyone will be looking forward to the next one....

THE ANTHOLOGY – TIMES ALMOST UP: Barry reminds us that all submissions for the anthology need to be with him by 31st of July. Time has virtually run out now so please try and and get your submission in before then. Don’t forget a few words bio and perhaps a photograph too. The good news is that Rachel Sloane will provide a foreword to the anthology and also some work from her days as a former Scribbler.

Talking of Barry, good news that his book ‘Strictly A Family Affair’ is now at the publishers.

Angela P was shortlisted in the Writers’ News “Last Line Poetry competition” whilst Sue won a book from the same magazine.

Have messages of thanks from Di for our wishes following the loss of her father whilst Caz has also thanked us for our continuing support.

See that Dick has made the pages of the Evening Star once again – this time a full colour picture pleading for volunteers to staff the haunted Landguard Fort shop. We have it on good authority that they don’t sell spirits there though.


THE PLATFORM

This week we held another of our popular creative writing exercises and everyone provided four words that dropped into Dick’s hat then the four words were drawn out in turn. 25 minutes were allotted to create a masterpiece that included those words. Here’s who had them:

Jack Desolate Red Bread Cuckoo-Clock
Jane Bedsitter Folder (?) Dark Inkling
Les Chip Donkey Rome Monkey
Trish Sunset Forceps Spaghetti Devil
Dave Pen Chase Bell Corn
Dick Inflate Curtains Motorbike Stabbed
Tony Facebook Fear Hotel Hook
Angela P Hubcap Stockings Oxford bag Mischief
Ally Herbalism (?) Courage Melon Polkadot
Simon Florist Mascara Gyroscope Internet
Barry Shed Plum Bolster Inevitable
Liliane Maiden Coconut Fish Fingers Gobbledegook
Peter Timber Raspberries Shining Scribble

What wonderful creations there were too ranging from a nuclear disaster to an erotic encounter at the fruit counter of a supermarket!

OUR NEXT MEETING

Is in two weeks time on Tuesday 4th August at 7.30 pm in the Room at the Top, Felixstowe Library. In the chair will be Peter. Liliane will again collect the key.

Please note that as we now meet upstairs then late comers are advised that it will take a couple of minutes to answer the door so please be patient.

ASSIGNMENTS

1,500 word assignments will be undertaken by Trish and Dave

The 500 word assignment for everyone else will be on “INFINITE”

Thanks again to Liliane for collecting the key and to everyone for coming along and making the evening another enjoyable experience.

Keep Scribbling!

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Support those who support us! Have a look at Scott’s website at http://www.mrcobblerandmrlocks.co.uk
Don’t forget that Scott has special ‘Felixstowe Scribblers’ mugs on sale at £5 each. Not only does it have the Scribblers logo on the front, but your name can also be added on the rear.

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Entries have now closed for our comical charity book Things Kids Say. You may remember that this book is being published by United Press to help raise funds for Barnardo's, and the book was launched officially by actress Lynda Bellingham at a Barnardo's centre in Manchester. Many thanks to all who have contributed funny stories about things that children have said.

We have also been lucky enough to have many artists volunteer their services to illustrate the book.

The good news is that the book will be out in about three months. It will cost £6.99 (plus £2.00 P&P) and half of the cover price will go straight to Barnardo's.

Many thanks for supporting this worthwhile venture, and if you have any ideas for future charity projects, United Press is always interested in hearing about them.

In the past five years we have managed to raise £170,000 for various charities, and you can find more details about the Barnardo's book and our charity work on our website at http://www.unitedpress.co.uk

Peter Quinn, Managing Director, United Press

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