Announcement - Wivenhoe Creatives are adopting Off the Rails

As most of you will know, George and Charmaine have been looking for someone to take over the running of Off the Rails. I can happily announce that I will be the main point of contact for the project, and as a whole, it'll be subsumed under Wivenhoe Creatives (CIC to be).

So what’ll change?

In form, it'll be doing the same things as the excellent team have done all these years.  Into the future though we’ll be looking at ways of making it financially sustainable.

Sue Dawes will be producing two more editions of Words Down The Line before it has a revamp/relaunch in the autumn.

As for the art display boxes, we’ll be doing something for the Wild about Wivenhoe festivities in May, and after that have a regular change of artwork.

We’ll be posting about the project on the Wivenhoe Creatives site, blog, and Facebook page and group, though we’ll create a link so that the back catalogue can be seen. We’ll also at some point decide what to do about the OTR Facebook page. 

I know running everything through another set of platforms seems like a big change, but having too many digital platforms to manage (particularly for what is a volunteer role) can be confusing and exhausting (for the Wivenhoe Creatives group and me).

The advantage is that we can use Facebook’s ad function to publicise exhibitions and poetry. We also have a monthly newsletter, and we’ll dedicate a section of that to OTR.

We hope you’ll want to make the transition with us.

If anyone would like to help or if you have any thoughts on the project get in touch at wivenhoecreatives@gmail.com.

New Words Down the Line

The latest issue of WDTL is now at the station for you to take, with contributions from:

Norah Mulligan

Norah, aged 91, is a former professional verse speaker and voice teacher who has recently taken up writing poetry.

Candyce Lange

Candyce has been writing for years, lives in Clacton, likes to hang out in Wivenhoe with some great friends.

Philippa Hawley

Philippa is a member of two local writing groups and enjoys writing flash fiction, short stories and occasional poetry. She has had articles published in the field of travel writing and is currently working on her third novel.

Lelia Ferro

Lelia is an MA Creative Writing student at the University of Essex. She also has an MA in Multimedia Journalism and a Post Graduate Diploma in Psychodynamic Approaches. Lelia spent nearly 20 years working in the media in London, before deciding to focus on her creative writing. She mainly writes poetry about hidden voices in the Essex landscape. She has lived in Wivenhoe for 10 years, and has had several poems published in Words Down the Line.

Bryan Thomas

Bryan is a local architect. He has written poetry since his early twenties and three years ago joined the Creative Writing group at The Wivenhoe Bookshop to learn about another funny endeavour – Prose. 

Illustrations are by Charmaine McKissock.

Autumn Issue of WDTL

The new WDTL is at the station.  If you can't get there to pick up a copy, please view it on our separate page.

Summer Artwork on Wivenhoe Station

In the 3 poster cabinets on Platform 2, and in the Booking Hall cabinets, we exhibit art in various kinds of media, produced by local artists, both amateur and professional. The exhibits are usually viewed from Platform 1 across the railway tracks, to cheer up the morning commuters and delight/challenge/inspire travelers awaiting their trains. 

Artwork by Maggie Bernstein

There is also a bookshelf containing free books for you to borrow on your journey. Why not bring us some new ones in exchange, when you next visit the station. 

We have a winner!

The Children's Poetry competition has been judged by local poet, Alex Toms, and the winning poem chosen.  Well done to Lewis H for his poem: 'Holiday to the moon'.  Lewis is a pupil at Elmstead Primary School.  Runners up included children from Broomgrove Junior School, Elmstead and Fingeringhoe.  For more about the judge and her winning selection please see our WDTL page on this blog.

Childhood edition of WDTL now at the station

The new edition of Words Down The Line is now at Wivenhoe Station, featuring writing from Emma Kittle-Pey, Candyce Lange and Elaine Green. Photographs by Polly Allerton, cover by Charmaine McKissock.

Children's Poetry Competition