Gruffalo Sunday at the North Kelvin Meadow.
June 22, 2012 by Grace Franklin · Leave a Comment
Tam Dean Burn will read The Gruffalo's Child on Sunday at North Kelvin Meadow.
One of the special events during the West End Festival is the ‘Gruffalo’s child afternoon on Sunday 24 June in the Children’s Wood at North Kelvin Meadow starting at 2pm. Tam Dean Burn will read the Gruffalo’s Child story. There will be Gruffalo face painting and Gruffalo prizes to be won, plus lots more..
As the North Kelvin Meadow campaigners say: ‘Experience the Children’s Wood on North Kelvin Meadow before this beautiful green area is lost forever. A planning application has been submitted. We have about a month to Save the North Kelvin Meadow. This is the only wild space in the West-end. Children need this type of environment – manicured spaces and parks are not the same.’ They emphasise that wild spaces like the meadow, are invaluable to children, especially those growing up in towns. ‘Meadows like this stimulate the imagination and nurture the spirit. Places like this are hard to come by in urban settings so should be preserved at all costs,’ said Julia Donaldson, author of The Gruffalo.’
An image from the Gruffalo's Child which author Julia Donaldson has allowed to be used as she is supporting the North Kelvin Meadow campaign.
For more information contact Emily on email: northkelvinmeadow@gmail.com and keep in touch with developments via:
Keep in touch with the latest on the North Kelvin Meadow campaign
Web: www.northkelvinmeadow.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/northkelvinmeadow
Twitter: kelvinmeadow
Flickr: www.flickr.com/groups/northkelvinmeadow
Moffat PATHS and photographs provide a feast this weekend.
May 26, 2012 by Grace Franklin · Leave a Comment
One of Jennifer's images from PATHS at Moffat
Three minutes from the M74 in Moffat, you’ll find a spectacular exhibition and cultural gathering which launches this weekend – Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 May.
Professor Richard Demarco CBE formally opens PATHS, a suite of 12 photographs taken by Jennifer Gough-Cooper at Little Sparta, the garden created by Scottish poet, Ian Hamilton Finlay. The black and white photographs will be on show till 12 July at the Moffat Gallery.
When Jennifer first set eyes on Little Sparta in Dunsyre in the late 1950s, it had a solitary tree and Ian’s wife Sue had started to shape a small garden near the house. Ian had created a lochan by damming streams from the moor and had a tiny boat which he used to sail across the water with his children.
After she had taken early morning pictures and was looking at them with Ian, Jennifer said she’d been struck by the variety of paths in the garden. Immediately, Ian invited her to collaborate in an exhibition with him at Kloster Schoenthal in Switzerland. Out of that came a book PATHS published by Wild Hawthorn Press.
Another part of the Moffat Book Events – entitled ‘Beyond the Garden Gate,’ will be a symposium on Saturday 26 May at 2pm in the Town Hall at Moffat, asking: ‘What are gardens for?’ Anna Pavord, author of the book ‘The Tulip’; Richard Wheeler, National Trust garden history specialist; Janet Wheatcroft of Craigieburn Garden and photographer and author Jennifer will all be fielding questions from the audience.
Photographer and artist extraordinaire, Jennifer.
On Sunday 27 May at 11am in Craigieburn Garden, Moffat, Jennifer and Richard will be discussing KIRSTENBOSCH – Jennifer’s black and white photographs of Kirstenbosch, South Africa’s National Botanical Gardens. Those images formed the inaugural art exhibition at the National Botanic Garden of Wales and will be shown in Moffat in Craigieburn Café and Gallery launching on Saturday 26 May through till Wednesday 27 June but note the premises are closed on Mondays.
Jennifer’s latest book, has a multitude of colour photographs and is entitled ‘Origins – song of Nooitgedacht, a remote valley in the Karoo’. Recently published in Cape Town to great acclaim, this work of art depicting the beauty of South Africa, will be available in Moffat. For a visual feast, fine conversation and beautiful books, Moffat is the place to be this weekend.
Retreats to help living today
February 27, 2012 by Grace Franklin · Leave a Comment
Two-Day Retreat
Saturday 3 March – Sunday 4 March 2012
Peace and Quiet
Stillness of Body, Mind and Spirit in the Busy World:
Inspired by the Lives and Teachings of the Desert Fathers and Mothers of the Middle Eastern Spiritual Traditions.
Facilitator: Rev Prof Stephen G Wright RN RCNT RNT DipN DANS RPTT MSc FRCN MBE, University of Cumbria, Carlisle. Founding Editor: “Spirituality and Health International,” Chairman: The Sacred Space Foundation.
Venue:Mull Room, Gillis Centre, 100 Strathearn Road, Edinburgh, EH9 1BB.
Dates: Saturday 3 – Sunday 4 March 2012.
Time: Registration: 9.30am-10am. Retreat Days: 10am-4.30pm.
Cost: £80 (both days), £40 (per day).
Registration Form: http://www.eicsp.org/downloads-org/category/192-mesp-2012-registration-forms
On-Line Booking: http://www.eicsp.org/mesp-2012-retreatworkshop-events-
Contact: Neill Walker, mesp2012@hotmail.co.uk, 0131 331 4469.
This two-day retreat will take us deeper into what it is to experience inner peace and how to sustain this in a world where so many demands are placed upon us that take us off centre. Drawing inspiration from the Middle Eastern Spiritual Traditions of the Desert Fathers and Mothers, we will explore ways to become more still in body and mind, how to keep our hearts open amidst the challenges of life that would otherwise make us close down, how to listen more deeply to ourselves and each other and to the “still small voice” within. Over the two days we will have an opportunity to draw upon the teachings of our own experiences, the wisdom of the contemplative tradition, and many different reflective and meditative practices from different spiritualities that can heal those parts of us which are broken, come to inner stillness, and draw closer to the “peace that passes all understanding.” Bringing peace to our work, relationships and to the world begins first with knowing inner peace; our weekend together will take us deeper into that peaceful place. Ideally, it would be best if participants could commit to attending both days as the weekend will have a retreat-like quality to it, helped in part by the opportunity to get to know one another, but the weekend will be structured to allow those who can only attend for one day to participate as well.
Stephen works as a spiritual director for the Sacred Space Foundation (see www.sacredspace.org.uk) helping those in spiritual crisis (including burnout) and guiding spiritual seekers. Before this he had a long and distinguished history in academia and in the British National Health Service, gathering lots of glittering prizes along the way. He has co-authored two books exploring the nature of healing relationships – “Therapeutic Touch” and “Sacred Space – right relationship and spirituality in health care” (both co-written with Jean Sayre-Adams). “Reflections on spirituality and health” published in 2005, by Wiley, received outstanding reviews. “Coming Home” was published in 2009, a personal and scholarly account of spiritual awakening rooted in the experience of his work as a spiritual director, for which he received significant training in the presence of several renowned teachers and at the Interfaith Seminary (www.theinterfaithfoundation.com). He is an active Trustee of several charities and an Associate Member of the Iona Community. He works with others to develop the practice of healing, spiritual care, conflict resolution and staff support. He is an ordained interfaith minister and spiritual director and brings a rich experience of spiritual practice from many faiths to his work. Recent published works (“Beloved,” “Contemplation,” “Song and Dance for the Way Home”) include songs, chants, dances, poetry and prose influenced by his primary spiritual practice of the Contemplative Way.
