Documents relating to Moor Poets' Annual General Meetings.
Documents relating to Moor Poets' Annual General Meetings.
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2020
Supporting Documents
Joint Chairs’ Report 2020
for the AGM on January 25th, 2020
at St. Andrew’s Church Hall, Ashburton
This has been another productive and creative year for the Moor Poets, with a number of successful workshops on stimulating themes and other related projects such as the Art group Markmakers and Moor Poets’ collaboration about which Pat Fleming will give us a summary later. We warmly welcome any new members who joined during 2019 and especially to any of you here today.
Last year’s programme (2019) - workshop summaries
The Poetry of Throwing away
The programme opened with a very inspiring (and fully booked) workshop on April 6th led by John Wedgwood Clarke at Broadhempston Village Hall entitled ‘The Poetry of Throwing Away’. John, a lecturer in Creative Writing at Exeter University, has explored the ecological and cultural significance of his local landfill site in his latest collection of poems ‘Landfill’.
What do we keep and what do we throw away when we spring clean or move house or have to clear out a home? How do we make those decisions? What do we lose and what do we gain? And what happens to all the stuff when we dispose of it? These were some of the questions we considered as we looked at a selection of relevant poems and pondered poetry’s relationship to the things we throw away, and the poetic junk we might throw out of our own poems in order to lighten up our stanzas.
Brave New Nature?
In Exeter Community Centre, on May 12th, Lawrence Sail, author of several highly praised Bloodaxe-published collections including New and Waking Dreams, led a thought-provoking reflective workshop on how we can write about nature at this time of climate crisis with the increasing awareness and anxiety about our impact on the environment. How far should or can we detach ourselves from contemporary concerns or will they inevitably inform our writing? How can such concerns shape both the content and form of current ‘nature’ poetry and be effectively communicative and engaging without being polemical? This led to much interesting discussion.
We looked at a selection of traditional and modern poems from the last two centuries which offered different perspectives on nature, comparing and discussing the way nature was perceived and engaged with and how this was reflected in differences of style and structure. We produced our own responses and reflections in poetic exercises set by Lawrence, having the opportunity, on a lovely day of weather, to draw inspiration from some local green spaces out of doors.
Tongues in Trees.
On Sunday 23rd June close to the Summer solstice Roselle Angwin, who’s been leading an ongoing online course in trees, led an outdoor workshop (also fully booked) in Higher Druid wood near Ashburton which had a quiet contemplative focus as well as a creative one. Despite the unsettled weather and having to reorganise for shelter for a short time the magic of the wood worked its spell combined with Roselle’s gentle and inspiring guidance. We explored Celtic tree lore and native-tree mythology as well as trees and forests in poetry and story to find ways into our own writing. A most rewarding day.
Myths Revisited
On Saturday 20th July at Exeter Community Centre, Greta Stoddart led a follow-up workshop (also fully booked) to the one she did a couple of years ago on the theme of Myth. In her own thorough and inimitable style Greta conjured up several diverse exercises to stimulate our imagination arising out of the poems she had selected for reading and discussion. As well as Bible stories and fairy tales we also looked much closer to home at local and family myths which allowed us to experiment with new and surprising ways of telling the stories of our own lives. Another excellent workshop.
Talking with the Dead
The programme ended with a thought-provoking workshop (again fully booked) on Sunday 27th October at Broadhempston village hall sensitively led by Sue Proffitt entitled ‘Talking with the Dead’ which explored reflections on those we have lost and with whom we still preserve a spiritual and emotional connection and in particular their continuing influence on our current lives. Sue chose an excellent sample of poems for reading and discussion which illustrated the great diversity of approaches to this subject and led to some deeply personal exploration and writing. Again another very rewarding day.
By contrast, two scheduled workshops had to be cancelled due to insufficient numbers: the planned workshop on ‘Free Play’ by Susan Taylor and Simon Williams, which promised to be very engaging on a theme inspired by their production of the ‘Play’ poetry anthology and the play-park construction project, both in memory of their grandson Reuben. The second was a workshop due to be held by Andy Brown and Marc Woodward on the relationship between the song-lyric and poetry following the success of their previous very popular workshop with musical instruments which had explored the particular challenge and technique of writing to music. The dates of each workshop proved to be problematic either due to summer holidays or clashing with other festival events.
However, we are happy to announce that Andy and Mark’s workshop will be offered again in late Spring, probably early May. I can testify as to how enjoyable their last music and words-themed workshop was.
Before we hear Pat’s report on last Summer’s Markmakers’ collaboration, I should just like to make another appeal for volunteers to take on the role of Secretary which at the moment, Simon and I are dividing up between us. This arrangement has been working reasonably well, but we would like to shed some of the responsibilities, as it is taking time from our own writing and other engagements. If no one is willing to take on the full secretarial role, we would be very grateful for any volunteers who can help us to divide up the work: one person making brief and accurate records of meetings such as this AGM and the few other interim meetings we hold, and another member willing to inform members of forthcoming workshops and any other related events organised by Moor Poet members. I am prepared to continue my responsibility for membership. Don Pearson continues to manage the website and remember to take advantage of the opportunity to make use of this for posting any of your poems you would like to share, as positive publicity for ‘Moor Poets’.
Helen Boyles
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Moor Poets treasurer’s report 2019
After Jenny Hamlett’s careful and effective handover of the treasurer role to me, this is my first year producing the accounts.
In the transfer of roles, and liaison with various committee members, it is possible that a small amount of membership income may have been included in the workshop income heading by mistake. If so, my apologies for this.
By the time of the AGM I will have emailed members reminding them to pay for 2020.
Tom Woodman
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Moor Poets Book Sales report for 2019
Income for the year ending December 2019 was £458.45 which is down on last year and reflects the loss of revenue from Devon Guild who are no longer taking books to sell. We have established a new outlet at Ullacombe farm thanks to Pat and Greenhill arts in Moretonhampstead are also starting to sell a few copies. A number of our smaller outlets have not been checked for a while. Grateful thanks should go to our volunteers across Devon without whom I couldn’t keep track of all our sales. Please note that we are now completely out of stock of Volume 2 and have agreed it is not economically viable to do a reprint.
A breakdown of our income for 2019 is as follows:-
Ashburton PO £41.65
Totnes bookshop £210.60
Greenhill Arts £20.40
Ullacombe farm £114.64
Holne community shop £32.66
Helen Boyles £22.50
Liz England £16.00
Total £458.45
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Supporting Documents
Joint Chairs’ Report 2020
for the AGM on January 25th, 2020
at St. Andrew’s Church Hall, Ashburton
This has been another productive and creative year for the Moor Poets, with a number of successful workshops on stimulating themes and other related projects such as the Art group Markmakers and Moor Poets’ collaboration about which Pat Fleming will give us a summary later. We warmly welcome any new members who joined during 2019 and especially to any of you here today.
Last year’s programme (2019) - workshop summaries
The Poetry of Throwing away
The programme opened with a very inspiring (and fully booked) workshop on April 6th led by John Wedgwood Clarke at Broadhempston Village Hall entitled ‘The Poetry of Throwing Away’. John, a lecturer in Creative Writing at Exeter University, has explored the ecological and cultural significance of his local landfill site in his latest collection of poems ‘Landfill’.
What do we keep and what do we throw away when we spring clean or move house or have to clear out a home? How do we make those decisions? What do we lose and what do we gain? And what happens to all the stuff when we dispose of it? These were some of the questions we considered as we looked at a selection of relevant poems and pondered poetry’s relationship to the things we throw away, and the poetic junk we might throw out of our own poems in order to lighten up our stanzas.
Brave New Nature?
In Exeter Community Centre, on May 12th, Lawrence Sail, author of several highly praised Bloodaxe-published collections including New and Waking Dreams, led a thought-provoking reflective workshop on how we can write about nature at this time of climate crisis with the increasing awareness and anxiety about our impact on the environment. How far should or can we detach ourselves from contemporary concerns or will they inevitably inform our writing? How can such concerns shape both the content and form of current ‘nature’ poetry and be effectively communicative and engaging without being polemical? This led to much interesting discussion.
We looked at a selection of traditional and modern poems from the last two centuries which offered different perspectives on nature, comparing and discussing the way nature was perceived and engaged with and how this was reflected in differences of style and structure. We produced our own responses and reflections in poetic exercises set by Lawrence, having the opportunity, on a lovely day of weather, to draw inspiration from some local green spaces out of doors.
Tongues in Trees.
On Sunday 23rd June close to the Summer solstice Roselle Angwin, who’s been leading an ongoing online course in trees, led an outdoor workshop (also fully booked) in Higher Druid wood near Ashburton which had a quiet contemplative focus as well as a creative one. Despite the unsettled weather and having to reorganise for shelter for a short time the magic of the wood worked its spell combined with Roselle’s gentle and inspiring guidance. We explored Celtic tree lore and native-tree mythology as well as trees and forests in poetry and story to find ways into our own writing. A most rewarding day.
Myths Revisited
On Saturday 20th July at Exeter Community Centre, Greta Stoddart led a follow-up workshop (also fully booked) to the one she did a couple of years ago on the theme of Myth. In her own thorough and inimitable style Greta conjured up several diverse exercises to stimulate our imagination arising out of the poems she had selected for reading and discussion. As well as Bible stories and fairy tales we also looked much closer to home at local and family myths which allowed us to experiment with new and surprising ways of telling the stories of our own lives. Another excellent workshop.
Talking with the Dead
The programme ended with a thought-provoking workshop (again fully booked) on Sunday 27th October at Broadhempston village hall sensitively led by Sue Proffitt entitled ‘Talking with the Dead’ which explored reflections on those we have lost and with whom we still preserve a spiritual and emotional connection and in particular their continuing influence on our current lives. Sue chose an excellent sample of poems for reading and discussion which illustrated the great diversity of approaches to this subject and led to some deeply personal exploration and writing. Again another very rewarding day.
By contrast, two scheduled workshops had to be cancelled due to insufficient numbers: the planned workshop on ‘Free Play’ by Susan Taylor and Simon Williams, which promised to be very engaging on a theme inspired by their production of the ‘Play’ poetry anthology and the play-park construction project, both in memory of their grandson Reuben. The second was a workshop due to be held by Andy Brown and Marc Woodward on the relationship between the song-lyric and poetry following the success of their previous very popular workshop with musical instruments which had explored the particular challenge and technique of writing to music. The dates of each workshop proved to be problematic either due to summer holidays or clashing with other festival events.
However, we are happy to announce that Andy and Mark’s workshop will be offered again in late Spring, probably early May. I can testify as to how enjoyable their last music and words-themed workshop was.
Before we hear Pat’s report on last Summer’s Markmakers’ collaboration, I should just like to make another appeal for volunteers to take on the role of Secretary which at the moment, Simon and I are dividing up between us. This arrangement has been working reasonably well, but we would like to shed some of the responsibilities, as it is taking time from our own writing and other engagements. If no one is willing to take on the full secretarial role, we would be very grateful for any volunteers who can help us to divide up the work: one person making brief and accurate records of meetings such as this AGM and the few other interim meetings we hold, and another member willing to inform members of forthcoming workshops and any other related events organised by Moor Poet members. I am prepared to continue my responsibility for membership. Don Pearson continues to manage the website and remember to take advantage of the opportunity to make use of this for posting any of your poems you would like to share, as positive publicity for ‘Moor Poets’.
Helen Boyles
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Moor Poets treasurer’s report 2019
After Jenny Hamlett’s careful and effective handover of the treasurer role to me, this is my first year producing the accounts.
- Income from workshops (£1,740) was slightly more than the expenditure on them (£1,658.09). This compares with a loss of almost £900 on them in 2018, and around a £300 loss in 2017.
- Income from books was £470.45 and we had no expenditure on them this year.
- Income from membership (£380) was reduced from 2018 (£843), but 2018 was an anthology year which encouraged people to join. For reference, the 2017 figure was £490.
- Overall we made a small surplus of £442.27
In the transfer of roles, and liaison with various committee members, it is possible that a small amount of membership income may have been included in the workshop income heading by mistake. If so, my apologies for this.
By the time of the AGM I will have emailed members reminding them to pay for 2020.
Tom Woodman
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Moor Poets Book Sales report for 2019
Income for the year ending December 2019 was £458.45 which is down on last year and reflects the loss of revenue from Devon Guild who are no longer taking books to sell. We have established a new outlet at Ullacombe farm thanks to Pat and Greenhill arts in Moretonhampstead are also starting to sell a few copies. A number of our smaller outlets have not been checked for a while. Grateful thanks should go to our volunteers across Devon without whom I couldn’t keep track of all our sales. Please note that we are now completely out of stock of Volume 2 and have agreed it is not economically viable to do a reprint.
A breakdown of our income for 2019 is as follows:-
Ashburton PO £41.65
Totnes bookshop £210.60
Greenhill Arts £20.40
Ullacombe farm £114.64
Holne community shop £32.66
Helen Boyles £22.50
Liz England £16.00
Total £458.45
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