Here you can view films, photographs and artwork and read poems showcased on Something for the Weekend, and find links to websites and online events mentioned on the show. (You can watch the whole shows here). The content is usually listed in the order it appears on the show. This page is updated on Friday afternoons and should be complete by 6pm.  We’d love to see any poems, arts and crafts you have created at home using the same themes or activities: info@together2012.org.uk

Click on any photo to see a larger version.

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30 September 2021

Dressing Up to Go Out to Stay In: Ju and Julie dressed up for National Inclusion Week and also discussed the importance of inclusive education; Robin dressed for an online mass guitar play-along; Tracy dressed up for Celebrating Black Fashion – see The Week Ahead below for details.

Poems from the Together! 2012 Pop-Up Poetry Club Theme: Sea Creatures. Next week’s theme is Plastic Waste. Find out more here about how to join the Club, which takes place on Wednesday mornings from 10.30am-12 noon by phone (we call you and pay the costs). Or join in from home – we’d love to see your poems if you do: info@together2012.org.uk

Crystal Peasy: Mermaids

Mermaids swim under the sea
Mermaids live under the sea
Mermaids are colourful
Mermaids are half woman and half fish
Mermaids have long hair
Mermaids are so beautiful
And sometimes mermaids leave the sea to sit on the beach
Then the mermaid changes colour
There are many different creatures in the sea.

Glory Sengo: Alligator

Hello alligator
Do you want to take some sweet corn?
Oh, that was a good bite
Do you want a lettuce?
Oh, good boy alligator
Do you want to drink water alligator?
Good boy alligator.

Dwain Bryan: Sea Creatures

Sea creatures under the sea
From jellyfish to crabs
On the beach
You will see fish if you swim deep
They are so wonderful
You wish you could keep
Don’t go too far
There may be sharks
Which will put fear in your heart
You may see fishermen
Shipping for fish
Which will be put on your afternoon dish
You will see all kind of creatures
You’d be so happy to meet.

Dawn Barber: Seahorse

I swim with the seahorse under the sea
He really takes care of me
He’s beautiful and full of colours
He swims all around me
And lets me know when danger is coming
And when things are fine.
We swim everywhere together
When it’s time for us to sleep
He lets me lay on his body
He closes his big beautiful eyes
And I close mine
And his tail wraps around my feet
The seahorse keeps me safe under water
Just like his own baby daughter.

Alison Marchant: Seahorses

The Sea Horse is from 0.6 to 14 inches long
and propels itself
With a small fin on its back
That flitters 35 times a minute
Smaller fins on the back
of the head steer her
Seahorses anchor to sea grasses and coral
Continuously grazing
There are 30 seahorse species
Vulnerable to extinction
Their habitat is depleting
due to pollution and harvesting for
traditional Asian medicine.

Julie  Newman: Sea creatures

Busy, busy are the shoals of silver fish.
The mackerel throw the sea into a turmoil
Of bubbling fury. Glimpses of the massed
Fish give insight into their journeys.
Close together they travel. A trawlers
Dream catch, an artists dream picture.
Swirling water, blue, grey, white foam and
Shifting like quicksilver the fish move on.

Slowly, softly, gently floating about
Underneath the surface. The moon jellyfish,
Seen within the theatre of temperate seas,
Move with the currents and tides.
Their dance a ballet to the beauty of
Life under the sea. Translucent,
Blue white strands suspend from ethereal
Bodies, pirouetting to their own tune.

Manatees with their calf tucked by
Their reassuring, ponderous bodies,
Will wander the oceans looking for food.
The fishes safe as they hunt down the
Plant life. Corals live with not a flicker
But give shelter to the seabed dwellers.
And the shallow waters team with crabs,
Fish, some bright, some disguised.

The creatures of the sea, so varied.
They call to each other through the depths
Of deep dark waters. They find each other
And join together against the forces of nature.
Harsh environments made worse by man,
Give glimpses of what will likely come.
Most adapt, most will move to the climates
That suit them best. And some will not.

Together! 2012 Art Club The Art Club runs a still-life session on Zoom from 11-12 every Friday morning: click on the photo to view a larger version and join in from home. We’d love to see your pictures: send them to info@together2012.org.uk Click here to find out how to join the Art Club. 

The Art Club also runs a Make and Natter session on Zoom from 11-12 every Tuesday morning. Bring along your own work, or join in with inclusive recycled craft activities. Click here to find out how to join the Art Club. 

Join in with Tracy: Make a basket from paper or card. You can find more Join in with Tracy activities here.

The Clockwork Paralimpics To join in at home, pick the toy on the right side or the left side of the screen to support before you start the video.

The Week Ahead

Ju recommends…

Georgia Pritchett: My Mess is a bit of a life. 7.15-8.30pm Tuesday 5 October. Free. Online.  Multi-award-winning writer Georgia Pritchett will be reading from My Mess Is a Bit of a Life: Adventures in Anxiety (Faber) and answering questions at this digital event hosted by the Beaumont Hotel. Further details and booking link here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/digital-event-georgia-pritchett-my-mess-is-a-bit-of-a-life-tickets-173563181147

Black History Month begins on Friday 1 October. Book for these as soon as possible:

Black Hollywood – The Early Years of African Americans on Film. 7-8.45pm Friday 8 October. Free. Online. In this illustrated talk for Black History Month, curator and film historian Matthew Jarron (University of Dundee Museums) will explore the early depictions of African Americans on film, with a particular focus on films from the 1920s and 30s made specially for Black audiences. Further details and booking link here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/black-hollywood-the-early-years-of-african-americans-on-film-tickets-167172642875

Yinka Shonibare in Conversation. 3-4pm Friday 8 October. Free. Online. Disabled artist Yinka Shonibare is discussing the sculpture he is creating in Leeds (due to be unveiled in 2023) in memory of the Nigerian migrant David Oluwale, who died as a result of police harassment in 1969. Shonibare will talk about his artistic vision, his work and his response to the David Oluwale story with Emily Zobel Marshall, Leeds Beckett academic and Co-Chair of the David Oluwale Memorial Association. Further details and booking link here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/in-conversation-with-yinka-shonibare-tickets-176354800957

National Libraries Week begins on Monday 4 October. Watch out for online activities including Mindful Doodle Stitch online workshop with artist Jessica Grady. Tuesday 5 October 7-8pm. Organised by Explore York Libraries and Archives, artist Jessica Grady will show you how to make mixed media artwork with doodle stitch and embellishments. You can use a variety of materials in your creation, including paper, plastic, and fabric. This workshop is appropriate for people of all skill levels. Materials needed for this online class are: needle and thread, fabric or paper base, felt pens (optional) and selection of scraps – such as plastic packaging or fabric – absolutely anything you have to hand. Further details and booking link here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/mindful-doodle-stitch-online-workshop-with-artist-jessica-grady-tickets-169848143369

Julie recommends…

The BBC have a page on their website devoted to space travel to the moon called ‘13 Minutes to the Moon’. There are a number of features including podcasts following that theme: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w13xttx2  

NASA have a YouTube Channel that shows constant footage from the International Space Station. The feed shows live footage of earth as the space station moves on it’s trajectory, or path, around the world. When it moves to a part of the earth that is dark there is a video of the Aurora Borealis and mindful music is played. https://youtube.com/watch?v=86YLFOog4GM&feature=share

Coral City Camera is a public art and scientific project live streaming from an urban coral reef off of the coast of Miami Florida. The website give a link to their YouTube channel with a live feed and information about the marine life, including a catalogue of species spotted through the camera. https://www.coralcitycamera.com/

The BBC has a YouTube channel where it is possible to watch the first Strictly Come Dancing performance of Rose Ayling-Ellis and Giovanni Pernice again. The show continues on Saturday and Sunday on BBC One or iPlayer, when the public and judges will be voting during the elimination rounds. https://youtu.be/I-f2Zu9aynw

Robin recommends…

How I learnt to fly: the hurdles one man overcame for human flight. 12:30-13:30pm Friday 1 October. Free. Online. The Imagine Series of open events, organised by the team at The Imagination Factory, is a new opportunity to introduce some of the fascinating people they’ve met over the years to a wider audience. This event introduces Alex Wilson, Jet Suit pilot, at Gravity Industries who will be sharing the development journey of Gravity, from early prototypes to the electric Jet Suit revealed this summer, with plenty of time for questions at the end. Further details and booking link here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/art-and-gadgetry-sparking-creativity-tickets-169513630833?aff=ebdssbonlinesearch

How to Get Started in Night Photography. 7.30-9.30pm Friday 1 October. Free. Online. This Night Photography 101 presentation will give you everything you need to know to photograph the night sky with your DSLR or mirrorless camera. Aimed both at those who are brand new to nightscape photography and seasoned veterans, topics will include how to photograph the Milky Way, the moon, meteor showers, constellations and more; night photography gear; recommended night photography camera and exposure settings; how to focus and compose in the dark; and the aspects of the nightly and monthly seasonality of the night that are the most important for night photography. Further details and booking link here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/how-to-get-started-in-night-photography-tickets-164504367993?aff=ebdssbonlinesearch

Tracy recommends…

Celebrating Black Fashion. 7.30-8.15pm Friday 8 October. Free. Online. Scottish supermodel, broadcaster and curator Eunice Olumide discusses her journey in the fashion industry with museum curator Georgina Ripley and celebrates the creativity within Black fashion. How are progressive changes within the fashion industry being documented by the National Museum of Scotland through exhibitions and contemporary collecting?   This event will be followed by a live Q&A chaired by Mal Burkinshaw. Further details and booking link here:  https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/celebrating-black-fashion-tickets-167718419307?aff=ebdssbonlinesearch

Metal Masters. Weekly Episodes all available anytime on Netflix with a subscription. Amazing Metal Artists use their welding and artistic skills to create a wide range of objects, competing to see who will win the title.

And finally… Irish artist and poet Jim McClean talks to Robin Surgeoner about his career and shares a poem.

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23 September 2021

Dressing Up to Go Out to Stay In: Ju and Julie dressed up to celebrate the return of the Strictly Come Dancing live show (Saturday evenings on BBC1); Tracy dressed up to listen to a rave playlist on Spotify; and Robin dressed up to get rid of a cold.

Poems from the Together! 2012 Pop-Up Poetry Club Theme: The End of Summer. Next week’s theme is Sea Creatures. Find out more here about how to join the Club, which takes place on Wednesday mornings from 10.30am-12 noon by phone (we call you and pay the costs). Or join in from home – we’d love to see your poems if you do: info@together2012.org.uk

Crystal Peasy: End of Summer

I like to talk about the end of summer
The end of summer is beautiful
And all the leaves drop on the floor
Moving to the autumn
And all the trees become naked
And all the branches fall down
There is nothing left of the tree!

The end of summer becomes darker
And the sun falls earlier
The sky is filled with clouds and it’s windy
People prepare their winter clothes
Like coats, jumpers and thick trousers
And when I go to my mum it’s lighter
And I come back at 8pm and it’s darker.

Dawn Barber: The Final End

Summertime is coming to an end
I will have to say goodbye to my darling friend
Leaves falling from the trees
Not seen many birds and bees
Getting darker by the minute
But we have to have winter
Must not get so blue
Try to make the best of it
Give it a little bit of love
But I can’t wait for my darling Summer to come round again
So the sun can shine on me and be my friend.

Dwain Bryan: End of Summer

The end of summer is here
And you can feel that autumn is near
Will it be cold, will it rain?
Will the trees have leaves?
Will they remain?
The sun doesn’t shine as often as it does
And the sky looks gloomy up above
The leaves start to fall off of the tree
And the ground is soft under my feet
You may feel a light chill in the air
That’s a small sign that winter is near
The leaves start to change colour and wither away
And that’s when you know it’s going to be
Soon a winter day.

Paizak Malek Neave: End of Summer

In the house I see my girls folding away
All the flowery clothes bright red and grey
All the jewelleries and high heels
Colourful hats into boxes and tills
Stacking them neatly in the loft
Saving them from the coming frost
Outside I see people walking home early
As some has gone to bed already
The wind is blowing cold
Bringing down the leaves that are old
My sons are going through the wardrobes
Looking for jumpers, scarf, gloves, and boots
Ready for the cold winter wear
And saying goodbye to summer fair
The squirrels are now resting
After the non-stop gathering
Of nuts, fruit, and beans they steal
Stocking them ready for their winter meal
Sunny, busy, and merry summer is going
Leaving us to deal with winter snowing
Wrapping our body with warm woolly clothes
Which were kept in the wardrobes
Although mostly black and heavy
But they are still beautiful and glittery
Making you look just as pretty when you
Go to the coming Christmas party.

Glory Sengo: End of Summer

This is the end of the summer
And the rain has changed
And then it will become sunny
And chilly again.

Alison Marchant: End of Summer

A shorter breath of day
A fresh morning
And summer is away
A quietness is distilled
As the dusk draws in early
And summer has had its journey.

Julie Newman: Summers End

And so, September takes its place
In the endless race each year.
Which month will pass the soonest
Which month will leave the saddest tear?

But yet, as seasons change with time.
Memory of summer dwells.
Should we pause and take a breath
Drinking deep the autumnal smells?

For as the Harvest Moon will shine
The petals fall from the rose
The spiders weave their endless webs
And the balance of days draw close.

The moon hangs full on the horizon.
The orb so orange and bright.
Grains are reaped and gathered
Safely stored in the fading light.

September bids a last farewell.
The harvest is abundant.
Stores are in, the larder full
With fruits so tender and pungent.

The sun now shines a gentler light.
The stars, they glimmer brightly
In skies much softer and dark,
The moths are gathering nightly.

The progress of life continues
The seasons change as they must
And day and night hangs balanced
Til it is tipped and we adjust.

The autumn days give time to rest.
The colours turn rich and brown,
Oranges, reds and yellows.
As trees shed their leaves to the ground.

The days become shorter now.
Gone is the summer palette.
We get ready for winter, and
Change moves around the planet.

Together! 2012 Art Club The Art Club runs a still-life session on Zoom from 11-12 every Friday morning: click on the photo to view a larger version and join in from home. We’d love to see your pictures: send them to info@together2012.org.uk Click here to find out how to join the Art Club. 

The Art Club also runs a Make and Natter session on Zoom from 11-12 every Tuesday morning. Bring along your own work, or join in with inclusive recycled craft activities. Click here to find out how to join the Art Club. 

Join in with Tracy: Mirror-print with paint, foil and recycled paper.

 

Join in with Sterre: Make art from leaf rubbing

The Clockwork Paralimpics To join in at home, pick the toy on the right side or the left side of the screen to support before you start the video.

The Week Ahead

Ju recommends…

For Real: Four Women Artists in Newham. Until 17 October. Free.  Online from the Tower Gallery. Sylvie Belbouab, Farah Ishaq, Ada Jusic and Aisha Naim explore the theme of unity and community in this online exhibition organised by Rosetta Arts as part of the Newham Unlocked! Festival. https://rosettaarts.org/exhibition/for-real-four-women-artists-in-newham/

Can Performance (Art) Be Conserved? Claire Bishop in Conversation. Wednesday 29 September 4-5.30pm. Free. Online. An increasing number of Disabled artists work in live art. What does it mean to conserve performance art, to extend its lifespan into the future? Claire Bishop is professor of art history at The Graduate Center of the City University of New York and holds a 2002 PhD from the University of Essex. Further details and booking link here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/can-performance-art-be-conserved-claire-bishop-in-conversation-tickets-163497771235

VAA Art Café:  How to Gain More Visibility to increase your Art Income. Thursday 30 September 11am-12noon. Free. Online. Internationally successful Irish-born artist Vincent Devine discusses how self-representing artists can gain more visibility and thus increase their income. Further details and booking link here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/vaa-art-cafe-how-to-gain-more-visibility-to-increase-your-art-income-tickets-166918354291

TypeWknd – Gather. A 4-day virtual typography event sharing engaging content with a global audience. Free. Begins 2pm on Thursday 30 September. “We can’t stress this enough: it doesn’t matter where you live, how many fonts you’ve made, or if this is your first time at a design conference — if you love letters, you are welcome here.” Further details and booking link here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/typewknd-2021-gather-registration-169496349143

Julie recommends…

The Met Artists Project. Free. Online any time. 126 artists talk about art from The Metropolitan Museum in New York that has inspired them. http://artistproject.metmuseum.org/about/

Linda Collins discusses the Queen’s Art Collection. 2-3pm Tuesday 28 September. Free. Online. Organised by Guildhall Library. Book via Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/online-the-royal-art-collection-the-queens-paintings-tickets-165286952725?aff=ebdssbonlinesearch

Stonehenge Skyscape. Free. Online any time. English Heritage has created a 360 degrees virtual tour of Stonehenge, in real time during daylight hours and via computer-generated graphics at night. There are three modes which give insights into how Stonehenge lines up with the stars. https://www.stonehengeskyscape.co.uk/

Robin recommends…

Art By Post: Of Home and Hope. Online any time. Free. Art by Post launched in May 2020 to provide free creative activities to people across the UK at risk of social isolation, loneliness and digital exclusion. The project commissioned 17 artists to make 11 activity booklets that were sent to over 4,500 participants with the help of numerous referral partners. More than 600 poems, drawings, paintings and mixed media works were posted back in response, and here you can view the entire collection:  https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/creative-learning/arts-wellbeing/artbypost/online-gallery

Alma’s Not Normal. BBC iPlayer. Any time. Free (requires TV Licence). Gritty Urban-comedy set in Bury.   With some very real life characters, and genuine social commentary, the show follows the life of Alma, who is trying to get her life back on track. But with no job, no qualifications and a rebellious streak a mile wide, it is not going to be easy. Some choice language, but in a very real way: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000h3mf

Tracy recommends…

Tai Chi Sundays. 26 September 3pm. Free. Online. Movement is the key to maintaining mental and physical health. This series does seasonal training to help you develop a wide range of skills which will enhance both your health and your practice. Practicing basic Tai Chi skills, such as posting, walking, breathing, stretching, energy work, bone tapping and hand movements. Even simple movements when practiced correctly promote organ health, lower body strength and mental focus. Enjoy learning at home through online lessons: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/begin-your-tai-chi-journey-an-introduction-to-essential-tai-chi-skills-tickets-169719801495?keep_tld=1

World Education Week – School Celebration. 3 October 2pm – 8 October 10pm. Online. Free. World Education Week provides a platform for schools and education organisations to share how they have developed their expertise with the express purpose of inspiring other schools and organisations to understand the journey to excellence and replicate same. 100 schools and their partners organisations are participating in this global school celebration and they will be sharing their unique expertise and success stories to a global audience global audience.  Join the conversation on social media by using the hashtag #WordEduWeek:  https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/world-education-week-2021-tickets-168167384173

And finally…

Bats! was created for the Hackney Carnival At Home livestream. To find out more see www.kitchencarnival.org

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16 September 2021

Dressing Up to Go Out to Stay In: Julie dressed up to make an apple pie inspired by the return of Channel 4’s Bake Off series; Ju dressed up to watch Notting Hill Carnival Online; Tracy and Robin dressed up to attend an online poetry café. See The Week Ahead below for details and more recommendations for home-based events and activities.

Poems from the Together! 2012 Pop-Up Poetry Club Theme: A Rainy Day. Next week’s theme is The End of Summer. Find out more here about how to join the Club, which takes place on Wednesday mornings from 10.30am-12 noon by phone (we call you and pay the costs).

Blake Jarrette Gibbons: Raining Emotions

I wake up with some tears in my eyes after crying in the night. You could say it’s rained from within me overnight. Turn on the shower and the water first dribbles out like rain drops from the sky, before full power and we have a waterfall. What is it TLC sing, Don’t go chasing waterfalls?

The script sings All it does is rain, rain, rain down on me
Each drop is pain, pain, pain when you leave
It’s such a shame we f***ed it up, you and me
‘Cause baby, when you’re gone
All it does is rain.

I go away, out of London on holiday, or just for a few hours, and I feel free and tears of joy rain out of me. Even when it rains I am happier. The rain is cleansing. My emotions the rain out of me, now stop you’re making me tearful.

Even a wet day for me can be a good day. I might cry but it could still be sunshine. My tears are my rain. Sad drops of my rain or happy ones they still rain from me. It’s my face that becomes wet and I will eventually dry them.

It could rain but we can still move in the rain. If anything it’s easier because most people hide out of the rain, that makes me happy. Oh diddums it’s not going to kill you. I’m happy in the rain mostly, after all in the UK our summer is 40 days of rain in the middle of the year!

You joker! Answer me this, how do lightning bolts flirt? They electrocute each other. How do you know it’s getting intimate?  There’s suddenly plenty of rumble and they become rainy!

I wish my life was as good as these lucky ones, clearly they strike it lucky!

Paizah Malek Neave: Rainy Day 

Amazing, I always like a rainy day
To see the rain drops on some days
I look out through the window
Congratulating the plants grow
Refreshing and cleaning the leaves
Strengthening the roots with the breezes
Rainy day gives me good rest
Giving my plants all the best
Chance for me to go out
Wearing my new blue raincoat
Rainy day does something good
Only put on jackets with hood
Not every day we put on raincoat
Not always we travel in boat
Only when heavy rain and flooded
We get stressed which cannot be avoided
Otherwise short and light rain drops
Gives us a different kind of events and soups
Fun days with lots of happiness
As rainy day brings us together and closeness
Enjoying hot meals on the table
Washing away and forgetting all trouble
That is my cool rainy day
Helping me to relax on that day.  

Julie Newman: The Conundrum

The weather report said rain was due.
A quiet start with grey clouds in view.
The day got darker, those clouds in grim mood.
Then came the rain with notices issued.
Some flooding expected, prepare for disruption.
Expect journeys delayed with some interruption.

So said the warnings, official in tone.
The workers set out and uttered a groan.
Off to their labours reluctant to roam,
Much better the warmth and shelter of home.
But the rain was relentless, heavens opened wide.
No respite was found, no places to hide.

More rain to come, some trains were affected.
Transport disrupted and flooding expected.
Then came the news, the nation was shocked
As images spread. Tower Bridge was blocked.
A fountain of water gushed through the road,
While the river beneath continued and flowed.

The buses and cars insisted they cross,
They had work to do and would suffer no loss
So forward they pushed, splashes over the tyre
The water was high, the wake it was higher.
A conundrum created. The bridge with a flow
Of traffic like boats, then the river below.

The rain eased off and the water could drain
Slowly into the river. But the flood would remain
On the bridge. Strong bulwarks for gutters
Keep water held in, acting like shutters,
Til gradually falling, cars, flowing now
Over a river, not through one, they plough.

Crystal Peasy: Rain

I used to hate rainy days
And I still hate rainy days
Because when it’s raining I don’t know where I’m going
And I have had a lot of crashing
And I can’t control my wheelchair
Sometimes when it rains
I am soaking wet
And when my clothes are wet
I feel sick
And I cry when the water goes into my wheelchair
Sometimes I am stuck indoors
Because of the rain
And I get upset when it rains
When I’m riding my wheelchair
I slip from side to side
In the rainy day I can’t see much
Because the water drips on my face.

Dwain Bryan: Rainy Day

Yesterday it rained and left a dampness in my heart
I wanted it to shine
So it could ease my mind
It felt gloomy
And what kind of weather it is
Hey what the heck
I got caught in the rain
On my travels
And my feet pitter-pattered as I dabbled
Water splashed up to my knees
And I felt wet
I better get home
Before I’m soaking wet
Or drenched
Sometimes the rain was soft
And really hard
Should have brought my umbrella
That would have been my guard.

Ellen Goodey: Rainy Day

Rainy rainy rainy day
It’s raining outside
And clouds gather overhead
When skies turn grey
It means it’s a rainy day.

Rain rain rain or shine
Grey and blue
Colours of rain
Falling from the sky
Time for rain or shine.

Dawn Barber: Dripping Rain

Rain, rain dripping on my head again
Making me wet
This is a day I won’t forget
I know we have to have rain
But you do drive us insane
You make us feel miserable
Puddles everywhere
Children splashing in them and sending water in the air
I’m going home now
be glad to get in from the miserable day
But now you won’t be dripping on me
Just on my windows.

Alison Marchant: Grey Rain

Grey rain beats down
and wraps the wet world in its sheets
The humid showers patter soft
On the roof windowpane
Low clouds and rain
A slow wind is ghost-like
Tapping out with fingers softly and light.

Together! 2012 Art Club The Art Club runs a still-life session on Zoom from 11-12 every Friday morning: click on the photo to view a larger version and join in from home. We’d love to see your pictures: send them to info@together2012.org.uk Click here to find out how to join the Art Club. 

The Art Club also runs a Make and Natter session on Zoom from 11-12 every Tuesday morning. Bring along your own work, or join in with inclusive recycled craft activities. Click here to find out how to join the Art Club. 

Join in with Tracy: Make a bird bath and feeder. There are lots more activities to join in with Tracy here.

To make the bird bath you need:

• A clean empty plastic butter/spread tub/ice cream tub
• String
• Scissors
• Paints and paintbrush (optional).

To make the bird feeder you need:

• A clean empty plastic milk or drink bottle
• Skewer / Pencil
• Pen
• Bird food

 

Now fill your feeder up to the hole with bird food before hanging it.

Join in with Sterre: Make a leaf necklace. There are lots more activities to join in with Sterre here.

The Clockwork Paralimpics To join in at home, pick the toy on the right side or the left side of the screen to support before you start the video.

The Week Ahead

Ju recommends…

Digital Joy Festival. 7.30pm Thursday 16 and Friday 17 September. Free. Online. Livestream from the Lyric Hammersmith of performances featuring locally based Disabled artists. Produced by Turtle Key Arts. https://www.joyfestival.org.uk/digital-joy-2021

Hackney Carnival Online Saturday and Sunday 18-19 September 2021.
Sound System Day. 12-8pm Saturday 18 September 2021. Free. Online (Mixcloud). Immerse yourself in an eclectic programme of carnival sounds featuring DJs from sound systems and carnival floats including Solution Sound System (Dub Reggae); Community Hifi (Reggae Dancehall); Soca Saga Boys DJs (Soca); DJ Green Papi (Latin and HipHop); Yaram DJ (African); Soca Massive (Soca); Faggamuffin Bloc Party (Eclectic); DJ Nindi (Samba, Frevo Maracatu); Special guest: Aba Shanti-I. Listen on Mixcloud here from 12 noon: https://www.mixcloud.com/djnindi/

Virtual Hackney Carnival. 12-8pm Sunday 19 January. Free. Online (Facebook). Hackney Carnival veteran presenter Pax Nindi of Global Carnivalz, for a programme of performances, films, interviews and competitions. Enjoy the best of Hackney Carnival in your own home including our very own Bats! film, created over the summer with star Carnival designer Clary Salandy from Mahogany Design as part of our Kitchen Carnival (www.kitchencarnival.org) Highlights include Soca Challenge; Carnival groups; local bands and musicians including: Alex Dayo, Scrappy, Jah Bunny, Stamford Hillbillies, Kasai Masai, Bob Health, Miss Trendee, and KGJ – Sax Shuffle. View on Facebook here from 12 noon: https://www.facebook.com/hackneycarnival

Art History Festival. 20-23 September. Free. Online (book via Eventbrite). This is the first ever Art History Festival and has a fascinating range of events including at 5pm on Thursday 23 September ‘Artists as Activists: from the Quiet to the Outspoken’. Find out more with booking links here: https://forarthistory.org.uk/art-history-festival-programme/

Julie recommends: 

Summer ends officially with the autumn equinox, or Mabon,  on Wednesday, 22 September 2021 at 7.21pm. The Harvest Moon, that is the full moon closest to the Equinox, falls on Monday, 22nd. The Royal Museums Greenwich give a brief rundown of the event including some folklore: https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/what-when-autumnal-equinox

Using seasonal fruits or vegetables, either as soups or if possible in simple cooking as part of the celebration of the change of seasons. The BBC Good Food website has a recipe for Apple Crumble which is a traditional way to use the seasonal apples: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/best-apple-crumble

The Great British Bake Off starts on Tuesday, 21 September 2021 at 8pm on Channel 4: https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/entertainment/great-british-bake-off-2021-start-date/

Strictly Come Dancing starts again this weekend at 7.45 pm on BBC1 on Saturday 18 September 2021 (also on BBC iPlayer).

Robin recommends…

Stephen Lightbown Presents – The Last Custodian. 23 September 7:30pm. An accessible book Launch. Online. Pay what you Can. Join Disability Arts Online for a live, virtual launch of Stephen Lightbown’s, second poetry collection The Last Custodian. Set in a post apocalypse world where the last survivor on Earth is Luke, a paraplegic.  All poems will be captioned live and BSL interpreted, and copies of the poems can be made available in advance on request:  https://disabilityarts.online/events/stephen-lightbown-presents-the-last-custodian-accessible-book-launch-online/

Alex Brooker – Disability & Me. BBC iPlayer. Free. Anytime. In this intimate and extremely personal documentary, comedian and TV presenter Alex Brooker examines his disability to acknowledge for the first time how much it impacts on who he is, and his understanding of what Disability means to others and their experiences of living with impairment, both now and looking into the future: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000kqkf

Tracy recommends…

Eye to I: Self Portraits from The National Portrait Gallery at the Boca Raton Museum. Online anytime. Free. Boca Raton, Virtual Tour.  With the term “self-conscious” as its starting point, the exhibition Eye to Iis a cherry-picking of self-portraits by major artists in the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery. With a wide range of depictions spanning over a century, this thoughtful presentation straddles themes from cultural identity to body positivity. Watch their 6 minute Video: https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/article/9-virtual-exhibition-art-tours-to-watch-online

Metal Shop Masters. Netflix (with Subscription). Available anytime. The latest in competitive creative TV programming, Metal Shop Masters, bring together 6 metal shop artists to torch, cut and weld some incredible designs for a prize of $50,000 US dollars. TO quote Netflix you will watch this amazing artists design and build their ‘badass creations from hardened steel: https://www.netflix.com/gb/title/81199095

And finally….

Robin Surgeoner interviews Sahera Khan about her career, including her recent appearance in a Dua Lipa video, before she performs her sign-poem ‘Together’. You can read Sahera’s poem and other poets writing about the same theme here.

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10 September 2021

Dressing Up to Go Out to Stay In: Ju dressed up for the Hackney Comic + Zine Fair; Julie dressed up to find out more about life on Mars; Tracy to learn more about pollinators; and Robin dressed up to watch the American Football. See The Week Ahead below for details.

Poems from the Together! 2012 Pop-Up Poetry Club Theme: Butterflies. Next week’s theme is A Rainy Day. Find out more here about how to join the Club, which takes place on Wednesday mornings from 10.30am-12 noon by phone (we call you and pay the costs).

Crystal Peasy: Butterflies

I like butterflies very much
And I’ve decorated my flat with butterflies
When you come into my flat
You notice butterflies everywhere
I also paint butterflies
I like the colour of the butterflies
The butterfly is so beautiful
And butterflies never make me sad
I have plenty of time to enjoy the butterflies
There are so many different colours
And even my clothes have butterflies on them
Especially my t-shirts.

Glory Sengo: Butterfly

When I saw the butterfly outside
It flew away
And I said ‘bye butterfly’.

Then I sat down in the garden in the sun
And it was sitting on the tree
Then it flew away again.

Ellen Goodey: Wings

Butterfly
Butterfly
Spread your wings
And fly away.

Wings are beautiful
With lots of colours
Folding wings
Folding folding.

Wings
Beautiful colours
Butterfly wings are beautiful
Butterflies.

Dwain Bryan: Butterflies

When I see butterflies, they flap their wings
And they hover in the sky
I believe they start as caterpillars
And they form as flying insects
They symbolise flying beauty
And they represent happiness
You can hold them in your hands
And feel lovely and grand
You can have them as pets
But please treat them with respect
They flap their wings
In the spring
and love and joy is what they bring.

Cheryl McLennan: Butterflies

The back of Winter scuttles across the sky
There’s a subtle change in light, smell and sound
It’s still cold enough to wear a Chestnut coloured scarf
And we can sit, with coffee in hand
listening to the melancholic sound of a Brass Band
A yearning for something intangible, stirs within us
We then see the Butterfly
Flitting, flapping and flirting
Inside Nature’s colourful palette
And sense that Spring has finally arrived.

Alison Marchant: Butterfly Meadow

Running through a wild flower meadow
Where the butterflies flutter
In the dusty frame of a yellowed super 8 film
Green- veined White
Orange Tip
Brimstone
Small Blue
Tortoise Shell
Skipper
Peacock
Red Admiral.

Julie Newman: Butterflies

The garden is planted with thought
For the birds, the insects and bees.
There is plenty of shade for the drought
To keep them cool with the breeze.
It blows through the yard from the road,
Over the pond, a shelter for the toad.

The passing foxes pause to drink
Stopping and staying a while.
They curl up, tails tucked in, barely a blink.
The birds are singing, the insects file
Up to drink the nectar or gather pollen
And sit on the leaves that have fallen.

When all of a sudden the fairies arrive.
Fluttering wings and darting around.
They fly in and out, zoom and dive
Never stopping or touching the ground.
The colours are varied, mixed simply and bright.
Flashing reds, browns, yellows, blues and white.

The fairies tell stories of worlds far way.
A world full of angels, a world full of cheer.
Where suns shine gently and winds play
So easily, boosting the fairies flight far and near.
To give a glimpse of hope, for a world much duller
Made bright by fairies with their flashes of colour.

Together! 2012 Art Club The Art Club runs a still-life session on Zoom from 11-12 every Friday morning: click on the photo to view a larger version and join in from home. We’d love to see your pictures: send them to info@together2012.org.uk Click here to find out how to join the Art Club. 

The Art Club also runs a Make and Natter session on Zoom from 11-12 every Tuesday morning. Bring along your own work, or join in with inclusive recycled craft activities. Click here to find out how to join the Art Club. 

Join in with Tracy: Make 3D letters.

You will need:

• Cereal box or similar
• Scissors
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Glue
• Toilet Roll Tube
• Stuff to decorate with
• Paper, ribbon, colour card, felt tips paint etc… for decoration

How to Make:

• Cut box open to make a flat area
• Cut 1 side in half
• Draw your letter as a capital on the coloured side of your box
• With the remaining strips make some boxes to build you 3D letter shape with by sticking them to the cut-out letter you have already created

To Decorate:

• Once you have created your 3D letter decorate in any way you choose for yourself or in a way the person you are making it for will like.

The Clockwork Paralimpics To join in at home, pick the toy on the right side or the left side of the screen to support before you start the video.

The Week Ahead

Ju recommends…

Speak the Word online poetry and spoken word writing workshops. 6-7.30pm on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month. Free. Online.  “Poet PJ Samuels opens the sessions with a wellbeing check-in and free write, and Poet nudi brings poems, artwork and prompts for inspiration.” The group is fully inclusive and LGBTQI+ friendly, and auto-captions are available. See further details and how to book here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/speak-the-word-online-poetry-and-spoken-word-writing-workshop-tickets-149889161517

Abstraction in Comics. 7.30-9pm Tuesday 14 September. Free. Online. Part of Hackney Comic + Zine Fair. Four artists who make abstract comics, Gareth A Hopkins, Peony Gent, Olivia Sullivan and Miranda Smart, discuss their work and why they choose to pursue non-traditional forms of storytelling. See further details and how to book here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/hczf-abstraction-in-comics-tickets-166964161301

Orkney Photographica. An illustrated talk by photographer Rebecca Marr. 7.30pm Thursday 16 September. Free. Online. This fascinating talk looks at the way in which photographs both capture scientific reality and are personal to the photographer at the same time. Rebecca Marr looks at the work of four famous Magnum photographers who have visited the island of Orkney, Eve Arnold, Fay Godwin, Martin Parr and Elliot Erwitt, and asks, ‘did they see what they wanted to see?’ Book here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/orkney-photographica-an-illustrated-talk-by-photographer-rebecca-marr-tickets-166902167877

Julie recommends…

London Open City has been running all week. The website gives a map of activities as it comes into the last weekend, and also some videos mostly from last year but also this years event. The videos run on the London Open CityYouTube channel. There is also an online shop where it is possible to buy books, souvenirs and a set of cardboard cut out famous architectural buildings in London. https://open-city.org.uk/

The Royal Society is hosting an online streamed discussion entitled Has There Ever Been Life on Mars? It is scheduled for Wednesday, September 15, at 6pm, and is free to view with no sign up required. https://www.list.co.uk/event/1712895-has-there-ever-been-life-on-mars/

Kew Gardens has a range of free online films to watch on it’s own YouTube channel. My favourite for the week ahead is a gallery tour of the Marianne North Gallery in the grounds of Kew. This is a subtitled film which gives a background of the botanical artist and her intrepid explorations around the world looking for plants to paint in Victorian Britain. https://www.kew.org/about-us/virtual-kew-wakehurst

Robin recommends…

Greece aLive! An exhilarating virtual Tour. Saturday 11 September 5-7pm. Online Via Eventbrite. Explore the ancient Acropolis of Athens, break plates in the Plaka, and then set sail for the fabled islands of Crete and Santorini (rumoured to be the site of the lost city of Atlantis – and among the most breathtaking on the planet).  Climb the Acropolis, visit the ancient Palace of Knossos on Crete, take a cruise through the famous Santorini caldera and see what remains of an ancient volcano and more more:  https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/greece-alive-an-exhilarating-virtual-tour-to-athens-crete-santorini-tickets-154856894139?aff=ebdssbonlinesearch

US National Football League NFL. Available anytime online free (subscriptions for additional services available). The National Football League NFL.com is the Home of American Football.  If you just a passing interest or your are passionate about American Footlball, this is the place to get all of your news reviews result and highlights.  There is also specific NFL UK site within the main site, brining you news of the London NFL Academy and UK Matches: https://www.nfl.com & https://www.nfl.com/uk/

Together! 2012 Spotify playlists: https://www.together2012.org.uk/join-in-from-home/listen-with-together-2012/

Tracy recommends…

VIGIL. BBC 1 Sunday at 9pm; BBC iPlayer anytime. New episodes weekly. Tense Submarine based thriller. When a crew member is found dead onboard the Trident nuclear submarine HMS Vigil, the Scottish Police are called on to investigate. The UK’s nuclear deterrent must remain effective, so the submarine stays on patrol and Detective Chief Inspector Amy Silva must go aboard to investigate.

Gardening for Birds, Butterflies, Pollinators and more. Saturday 11 September 5-8pm. Online Via Eventbrite. Learn how you can use your yard and plant choices to provide habitat to fascinating and beautiful critters who need good homes in our neighborhoods.  Covering principles of gardening for habitat, attendees will learn the secrets of attracting and providing for the kind of wildlife we love to see in our gardens:  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gardening-for-birds-butterflies-pollinators-and-more-online-workshop-tickets-159051530409?aff=ebdssbonlinesearch

And finally…

Cuppa: A Play by Eve Smith.

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3 September 2021

Dressing Up to Go Out to Stay In: Ju, Julie and Robin dressed up for the Tokyo Paralymics, currently on Channel 4, More 4 and All 4 television (free). Robin dressed specifically to represent past Paralympians at the Closing Ceremony (Sunday from 12-2.30pm on Channel 4). Tracy dressed up to visit Scotland, inspired by the new BBC thriller Vigil (Sunday 5 and 12 September at 9pm, or view on BBC iPlayer).

Poems from the Together! 2012 Pop-Up Poetry Club Theme: Roses. Find out more here about how to join the Club, which takes place on Wednesday mornings from 10.30am-12 noon by phone (we call you and pay the costs).

Crystal Peasy: Roses

Roses are red
Roses are beautiful
Roses are bright
Roses are colourful
Roses are my favourite flower
Roses come in the summer
Roses are pretty
Roses can be big and small
Roses can be healthy
Roses can be pink
Roses can be white
Roses can be blue
Roses can be orange
Roses can be found in the supermarket
Roses can be found in parks
Roses can be found in gardens
Roses can be found on balconies.

Dwain Bryan: Roses

Roses spring from the ground
And don’t make a sound
You haven’t got time to watch them grow
But you hope they flourish through the wind, rain and snow
They could be pink
They could be red
They could be a romantic gesture for your bed
What are roses?
What can they mean?
Could they be a meaning of love?
Could they hold a special place in somebody’s heart?
Could they be in a significant place in your heart?
One day I saw a woman with many roses
I’m not sure if she was selling them or giving them away
But to have them in your possession makes a wonderful day.

Ellen Goodey: Lots of Colours

Red
Red
Roses
Like my favourite drink
Red wine.

Red roses
Grow in the garden
With other flowers
White and red
And orange.

Lots of colours
Growing
Open up
And spread the word
Of love.

Dawn Barber: Beautiful Rose

Don’t let the rose die yet
Because you’ll have to say goodbye
Try to keep it as long as you can
And stroke it with your hand
Feel the softness flow over you
Put it on your window sill
And let the sun shine on it
As the leaves begin to fall
Tell it you’re the best of them all
And now you are dying
Your smell will go on and on
To a place here and beyond.

Taylor Henville: I Remember Roses

I remember
When I was a child
At my grandmother’s house
Playing in the garden.

One quarter of the garden
Was out of bounds
Taken up by a rose bush.
Big red petals, bright like rubies
Dotted among a tangled nest of thorns.

Lost footballs, basketballs, tennis balls and frisbees
Were chewed up and swallowed by the roses.
I used to try to crawl under the thorns to get back the toys
But it wasn’t worth the scratches.

Alison Marchant: The Rose Bush

The rose-bush leaves unfold
In the sun
The dewdrop left sweetness
The light wind touched the leaves
A tiny bud appeared and then another
Bright promises of radiant flowers
Which caught the freshness of the evening showers
The petals unfolded into pink
And fragrant beauty
A lone bee gathers nectar
And in a series of dance movements
Communicates to the hive
And returned to the comfort of the
Pink canopy
To turn nectar into honey.

Julie Newman: Barbara Allen Retold

They sang the song in days of yore
A tale of true love dying.
On a lonely bed, he laid his head,
And laid back gently sighing.

Sweet William called for his lady dear
He sent her a heartfelt message.
Please come and wipe my dying brow
And ease me on my passage.

Hard hearted Barbara said alack, aday.
No comfort can I bring to you.
My heart is hardened against your love
Even on your deathbed cruel.

So William turned his head to the wall,
And slowly slipped away.
Barbara Allen sat at home in grief
Until his funeral day.

The bell rang out and reached her heart.
She called her father to her side.
Dig me a grave both narrow and long.
She cried and then she died.

In the churchyard they laid her down
Her grave was next to William.
From his there sprang a red red rose
From hers a briar joined them.

They grew and grew so very tall.
The rose along the briar.
A lovers knot was formed as they climbed
With the roses red like fire.

Together! 2012 Art Club The Art Club runs a still-life session on Zoom from 11-12 every Friday morning: click on the photo to view a larger version and join in from home. We’d love to see your pictures: send them to info@together2012.org.uk Click here to find out how to join the Art Club. 

The Art Club also runs a Make and Natter session on Zoom from 11-12 every Tuesday morning. Bring along your own work, or join in with inclusive recycled craft activities. Click here to find out how to join the Art Club. 

Join in with Tracy: Make an underwater diorama.

Join in with Sterre: Make a face from fruit and vegetables

The Clockwork Paralimpics To join in at home, pick the toy on the right side or the left side of the screen to support before you start the video.

The Week Ahead

Paralympics Closing Ceremony. 5 September 11am-2.30pm Channel 4 (with sport continuing on Channel 4, More 4 and All 4 on 3 and 4 September). The Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games closing ceremony will be shown live from Tokyo, and will be presented by Ade Adepitan and Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson. Adepitan has competed as a professional wheelchair basketball player, and Baroness Grey-Thompson has competed in five Paralympic Games, winning 11 gold medals.

The Last Leg  Returns to Its Roots for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. Channel 4 10pm during the Paralympics + online availability. Adam Hills, Alex Brooker and Josh Widdicombe present The Last Leg of Tokyo 2020 live daily at 10pm from the BT Studios in the heart of London’s Olympic Village in Stratford, rounding-up and reflecting on the biggest sporting stories of the day.  Comedian Rosie Jones as the show’s roving reporter, will bring all the latest news from the ground in Tokyo. Rosie originally started her TV career as a researcher on The Last Leg for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

Ju recommends…

BODIES by Raminder Kaur. Available each night from 7-8.30pm. Free. BODIES is an experimental, multi-media psychodrama that combines tragedy with comedy, weaving ancient and contemporary stories about dilemmas of the body, mind and people’s experiences with cancer: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bodies-filmed-theatre-free-online-screening-tickets-156973266265

Art AI Festival Online: Filmmaking & Musicking. Wednesday 8 September 5-6.30pm. Free. Artist Ben Bogart discusses their art and practice, followed by a live robot orchestral performance created by Craig Vear: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/art-ai-festival-online-programme-registration-137154971211

Funding for Music Projects with Arts Council England: A free online webinar for musicians and music professionals interested in applying for support from Arts Council England, especially those who haven’t applied before or have previously been unsuccessful. 10.30am-12noon Thursday 9 September. The Arts Council will tell you about the different funding programmes available including National Lottery Project Grants and Developing Your Creative Practice; outline any key differences as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic; and give you tips and tools to help you complete the application form: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/funding-for-music-projects-with-arts-council-england-registration-164515559467

Julie recommends…

Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition. Free. Online. This is an online exhibition of the Highly Commended Runners Up, including an archive of previous years. https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/news/2021/september/first-look-wildlife-photographer-of-the-year-57.html

Celebrity Masterchef is back with Series 16 which this week featured Kadeema Cox, a Paralympian Sprinter and Cyclist. She won a Gold Medal in the Team Sprint in cycling and is preparing for her track race today with the final tomorrow shown on Channel 4. Masterchef is found either on the program schedule or on iPlayer. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007mtf0

​Robin recommends…

The Wellcome Collection Online. A fantastic collection of exhibitions, research and artistic impressions of the lived experience of Disability, Health and Illness, including a photographic history of the beginning of the Paralympic Movement at Stoke Mandeville.  The latest season explores Happiness: https://wellcomecollection.org

Lupin. Available on Netflix via subscription. Comedy thriller set in France, originally in French, but with English overdubbed, now into its second series, brings you a fascinating and intriguing tale of one man’s quest to clear his family and redress the actions of a racist bully. Inspired by the adventures of Arsène Lupin, gentleman thief Assane Diop sets out to avenge his father for an injustice inflicted by a wealthy family.

Tracy recommends….

Vigil. BBC One (Sunday nights) & BBC iPlayer. A great looking psychological thriller bringing a fascination to what it must really be like on a submarine.  The deeper you go, the darker it gets. When a sailor is found dead on submarine HMS Vigil, DCI Silva uncovers a conspiracy.

The Chair. Available on Netflix via subscription. A brand new comedy starring Sandra Oh as The new Chair of The English Department at a fictional Ivy League University.  Challenging many stereotypes and championing women’s rights and racial equality.

And finally…

Robin Surgeoner interviews Jarrod Clyne about the new #Wethe15 disability rights campaign launched by the international Paralympic movement.

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