Category Archives: General

In summer 2018, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. My active treatment included a full mastectomy; and a course of chemotherapy which I completed at Christmas. I’m proud to say that I’ve done everything I can as a patient to … Continue reading →

  Laura Watson from English Collective of Prostitutes and I were interviewed on 10 April 2016 regarding sex workers’ human rights, decriminalisation and why I’m running the London Marathon with a red umbrella for Amnesty. Such a pleasure discussing these … Continue reading →

On Sunday 24 April 2016 I’m running the London Marathon to fundraise for Amnesty International (UK) – the grassroots NGO standing up for human rights everywhere. And if I can, I will do so carrying a red umbrella – the international awareness-raising symbol of … Continue reading →

Wolsey Writers workshop starts this Sat 19 Sep at New Wolsey Theatre, 10am, £13.50. More details here and a clue below about our first theme . . .

I’m running a “Meditations on Art” course for Ipswich Institute members: Tuesdays, 22 Sep – 1 Dec, 6.30pm. Here’s a link for more details and a little preview slide of what we’re going to discuss in week 1.

The winner of the New Angle Prize is the fabulous Kate Worsley for “She Rises”; the runner-up is the splendid Ronald Blythe for “The Time By the Sea”. Here are the notes from the judges’ speeches last night because we … Continue reading →

Let me tell you that right now it is 10:14pm on Monday, 8 June 2015, and I’ve just walked home from Ipswich town centre on my own. What’s more I felt safe and was safe. I’m not advocating that women … Continue reading →

I tweeted the five Ipswich parliamentary candidates one question: “Are you a feminist?” Here’s what they said. SPIRITED answer David Ellesmere (Labour, @davidellesmere) “Yes!” I love the conviction of this one word reply with an exclamation mark – no messing … Continue reading →

Ta-dah! The New Angle Prize for Literature shortlist. Got your recommended reading for the Easter break sorted: ‘The Time by the Sea’ by Ronald Blythe (Faber & Faber, Jun 2013) ‘Claxton: Field Notes from a Small Planet’ by Mark Cocker … Continue reading →

My latest intellectual crush is British philosopher Mary Midgley. She writes with brilliance on, among other things, dogmatic science, the way we use art to help us understand our place in the world and most eloquently on the mind / … Continue reading →