Calls to contribute to lockdown booklet
A writer and illustrator is appealing for help to compile a booklet about life in Ryhope during lockdown.
Liz Million is working with award-winning arts project The Cultural Spring andRy hope Community Centre, through funding secured from Sunderland City Council’s East Area Committee and Arts Council Eng - land, to create the booklet which will include poems, drawings and stories.
Liz is a familiar sight in Wear side schools, where she visits to talk to students about art and teaches drawing to the pupils.
“A few years ago I was involved in a project with Ryhope Community Centre which produced a wonderful inter-generational book called I Remember When, and I now want to create another book to talk about lockdown.
"It has been a very unusual and strange year and I want people to tell me about their experiences using pictures, poems or words,” Liz explained.
“Ryhope is a particular favourite place of mine, I met so many wonderful people when we were creating I Remember When and I found out what resilient and upbeat people live in the village – even in the face of uncertain times, and I really want to capture that.
“I’ m delighted to have been asked by The Cultural Spring and Ryhope Community Centre to capture people’s experiences of the past few months – but we won’t have a booklet without people sending me their contributions.
" So I want to hear from the people of Ryhope.”
Those experiences can be happy or sad, says Liz.
“I want to know what Covid times mean to you – what is happening in lockdown, how are you feeling? You can be honest and write a frank poem about how you were feeling, or you can write an upbeat one.
"They can be serious, thought-provoking funny or sad, anything you want.
“You can write from your own perspective or write as someone else, perhaps as a key worker, an elderly neighbour or even a family pet!
" Don’t worry if you enjoy lockdown – tell us all about the games you play and what else you’re doing,” said Liz, from Darlington.
You can send yours tories, poems or pictures to Liz atRyhopewr it ing@g mail. com by November 27.