Herring House: Stories and Other Writing

  We experimented by putting words and phrases randomly together making odd and sometimes lyrical connections - this was a favoured mode of expression for David Bowie who used it to construct his songs and many others. It was a favoured way of writing for the Surrealists and Dadaists.  This is one of my favourites by Mat. Limping postman slow pensioners I went to ask what mattered. Daylight, the clouds, the river silent and their tears in the middle of me.

  Actors Joanna Swan and Martin Kray performing the group-created audio drama - The Train. Sue - Lived Experience Coordinator introducing us all and the Lived Experience Collective. Rachel and Mel making the presentation. The audience who turned out on a fine Friday afternoon were rivetted. It was a very special event...thank you to St. Peter Mancroft Church...our actors and everyone who came. 

  This Friday, 8th August at 2 pm - there will be a presentation from the Lived Experience Collective and readings/performance of the Writing Group's Audio Drama at St. Peter Mancroft Church in Norwich.  Martin Kray and Joanna Swan will be reading from the book and performing the audio drama, testing their ability to come up with different accents. It will be GREAT! The event is taking place as part of the Homelessness Exhibition which is on show in the church as part of the HIDDEN installation by sculptor Peter Walker. It is a moving and powerful experience. 

  Herring House Trust is bringing its Homelessness Exhibition to St. Peter Mancroft Church in the centre of Norwich as part of the HIDDEN project in the church during the month of August. There will be the exhibition, a presentation by the Lived Experience Collective and readings from Untitled, Writing from Recovery, our wonderful anthology of prose, poetry and other texts written by the writing group at the hostel. The exhibition is in the church from Tuesday 5 th August until Monday 11 th August 10 am to 4 pm. The presentation and readings take place on Friday 8 th August at 2 pm where members of the group will be present and we will be selling copies of the book to raise money for more creative activities at Herring House Trust. Inside the church, ‘Hidden’ is an artwork by renowned sculptor Peter Walker exploring the concept of what is unseen or concealed in the world around us. It delves into the idea that things may not always be what they seem, encouraging vie...

As I walked out of Herring House Trust little did I know that two minutes later I would be back inside the house. I have agoraphobia and couldn't cope with being outside.  The staff let me back in. I did a breathalyser and spoke to the staff about how I was feeling. I was struggling, feeling wobbly and sweating, feeling a bit nauseous.  The fear I feel when I am in an open space is like my feet are floating, or I am standing on a wobbling board. It leads me to think that I'm on air and I'm going to fall over or fall through the floor. It scares me and my mind goes to extreme levels that are very hard to describe but it's an uncomfortable feeling. It's like being hung off a cliff and you are going to be dropped; it's like the fear of hanging off a cliff and the fear of falling, that's the best way I can describe it.  I was diagnosed with this condition in 2018 and it has ruled my life ever since. Blake Image: Edward Hooper 1921

  Tuesday's book launch was fantastic. Thank you to everyone who came, the superb catering team of Rachel and Kerri - Great Yarmouth Library where the launch was held, our readers, performers, Su Squire and Jason Parr, Lotte and Red Herring Press - Sue, Gaynor and Jo from Herring House Trust, all the writers and supporters of Herring House Trust who turned up and listened in.  Finally, thank you to Culture Connect for funding the publication and event.  The readings were moving, compassionate, funny and simply beautiful.  If you want a copy of this inspirational book contact Red Herring Press . Sue reading An engrossed audience Jason reading The book table