'Arts On Prescription Bring Festive Cheer!'

I had a swell time this morning at the Christmas get-together organised by 'Arts On Prescription' in Warrior Square! If you are on your own and are feeling lonely are unemployed and a little lost or suffering with mental heath, anxiety or depression then you should look into joining some of the brilliant 'arty' courses put on by Arts On Prescription next year!

2019 has not been 'all sunshine and roses' for me and I have felt quite down and hopeless at times. Now, I know from experience that when I feel that way it is time to DO SOMETHING different to give my life a fresh perspective. With that in mind I decided to look online to see if I might find anything 'going on' in my local area that might suit me? It wasn't long before I found the Arts On Prescription website www.artsonprescription.org and saw that there was a free 'Creative Writing' session coming up shortly! Well, as writing is 'right up my street' I thought that such a session would be a good way of 'testing the water' in order to see if the whole set up was 'my scene'.

As the old saying goes, 'nothing ventured, nothing gained' and after contacting, Tara Ready - the lady who runs the sessions it wasn't long before I had booked my place on the writing session and had it to look forward to! When you are lonely you need 'something to look forward to' and so its always a good idea to 'line a few things up on the calendar' to keep you going.

Well, the time eventually came for the day of the session and so I went along to see how it went? Tara is lovely, warm, friendly and welcoming and as the session (usually 2 hours long) wore on I began to feel at home and started to get talking to some of the other people there. One really nice chap who is known by the group as 'Jeff' let me into the secret that he is really SANTA and me being a Christmas nut we had a lovely conversation swapping stories about our adventures at Christmas time! I liked 'Jeff' so much in fact that I gave him a complimentary copy of my 'Timeless' CD and told him to 'have a listen to 'The Toy Museum' as being Santa I thought he'd appreciate it.

Well, I'm glad to say that 'Jeff' did have a listen to my album. Better still he told me today that he really liked it! He also proved that he really IS Santa - turning up (as you can see here) in full robes and boots! I happened to go as an Elf 'for a bit of jolly' and one of the ladies present ( THANK YOU, Mandy!) thought we looked like a team and took the photo you see here! Santa was in his element throughout the morning telling us all a few festive tales and dishing out presents! I helped him with that to make sure that everyone present got something and both of us joined in with the carol singing  as well - though I think both Santa and I prefer the sound of other voices at this time of year. It's kind of nice to listen to other people singing Christmas carols etc because that way you get a real sense of belonging and feel for a short time at least that you are all 'singing from the same hymn sheet' and celebrating the same thing for once!

Such 'togetherness' is sadly in VERY short reply these days and so Christmas needs to play its part ever more to calm the world down a bit and get us all thinking of others and not just our own needs and wants...

If you are interested in finding our more about Arts On Prescription you can either contact Tara through the website or see your GP and ask to be referred. You don't have to be 'ill' and you can do what I have done and refer yourself so there is no pressure! Go on! Give it a try! No good staring at four walls - I know! (lol)

'4 Days To Go!'

Well folks, we are now nearly at the 'big day' again! As usual, instead of a lovely, soft carpet of snow and a population of Snowmen looking at us through the window we have wet, depressing days and that HORRIBLE grey sky...

Still, Christmas is the 'season that lives in your heart' and so you don't actually need to see it you just need to feel it and know that it is real...

I'm writing this listening to The Manhattan Transfer's Christmas album from 1992 so I'm all wrapped up in great harmonies and lush melodies! The 'Man Tran' are not normally my scene ( a bit showbiz) but this time of year their gorgeous vocal harmonies and show like songs all help create a bit of badly needed glamour!

The run in to Christmas has been a strange one for me this year. I have either been out enjoying myself with good friends and attending Christmas Dinners or I have been at a loose end indoors at home with (too much) time on my hands to reflect on the horrific losses I have suffered this year and how scarey 2017 looks...

I know I say this every year, but Christmas can be and is a difficult time emotionally for lots of people. Offset against all of the happy get-togethers there are inevitably thoughts of those no longer with us and of how things keep changing on you as you get older. Loneliness is especially keenly felt at this time and that is why I try to smile at everyone I meet in the street and make sure I say a cheery 'Good Morning' or 'Good Afternoon' to them with my 'Merry Christmas!' Small little gestures like that can really make a difference and maybe be enough to keep someone who is feeling 'cast off' going.

I hope with this blog I 'connect' with a few people and help bring the cheer and spirit of Christmas into your home!  Here is a little poem of mine I put to music a few years ago. The video may be very amateurish but the scenery is lovely and Christmassy! I filmed it myself in Church-in-the-Wood the last time we had some significant snowfall in my area...

Finally, I had a lovely evening out with my Shorelink Writers club at The New Inn in Westfield at our Christmas dinner party.

Yvonne & Alvin are all smiles!

Someone left me a 'secret Santa' present on my chair while I was taking a few pictures, which was very nice and I will look forward to finding out what it is o the 25th! 'Thanks for all the help' was the message attached to the card. Now, I do try to be a 'helpful fellow' whenever I can to my friends but I've no idea this time who this present could be from?

They really are a great bunch of people at Shorelink Writers and no-one can feel lonely or lost for long at our group because it is such fun and we all support each other - like a family does...

So people, if you are reading this and thinking you could do with something new to be a part of next year make a new year's resolution to come to one of our meetings. We are on a 'holiday break' now until January the 9th but you are most welcome to come along to our next meeting at Tesco's Community Room in Churchwood Drive! We start at 7pm until 9 and the tea, coffee and biccies are all free so what have you got to lose?