SHEroes of Lewisham - poetry and photography by Laila Sumpton

SHEroes of Lewishampoetry and photography Edited by Laila Sumpton

Poets and artists retain copyright of their work. First published and printed 2022. Design by Katrina Clark.

Contents QuestionsIntroductionfor May - May - Sybil - Rosanna - Ellie - Joan - Yukiko - Bridgit - Naomi - RupaAcknowledgementsResourcesLesley 645653494541373329252117157

SHEroes of Lewisham is a project celebrating stories of the amazing women of Lewisham through poetry and visual art, led by a local poet and educator Laila Sumpton. She explored modern-day life herstories full of the struggles, bravery, wisdom and exceptional relentlessness of nine local women.

7 Introduction

From left: Laila Sumpton, Sherina Rhule (teacher at Rathfern Primary School), Rosanna Campbell (Young Mayor of Lewisham), Jade Baker (teacher at Rathfern Primary School)

Who are your SHEroes? From the past, from the present?

SHEroe Bridgit Sam Bailey

POETRY

After selecting the SHEroes of the project through close consultations with local organisations, institutions, NGOs and community champions, Laila learned their life stories through in-depth interviews. Those conversations were a starting point for Lewisham based writers tasked with creating poems encapsulating the spirit of each SHEroe - Ella Frears, Carmina Masoliver and Carinya Sharples. Poems were written by the Year Five students of Rathfern Primary School and Brindishe Manor School through workshops led by Laila, who also wrote two poems herself. Each poem was carefully crafted by the SHEroe writers through the process of repeated re-listening and re-imagining of our very honest, sometimes tough, sometimes hilarious and inspirational interviews. In this collection you will meet social entrepreneurs, a firefighter and the UK’s first Black literature professor and more!

VISUALS

Accompanying Laila was visual artist Damian Wilk, who filmed the interviews, took the SHEroes portraits and combined them with poems on a series of prints. The designs feature personalised, abstract soundwaves, whose shape reminds us of the simplified outline of Lewisham, whilst the outer lines are a graphic sound representation of the exact moment when each SHEroe said her name. The touring exhibition and instagram page (@sheroesoflewisham) comes complete with a series of video highlights from all nine interviews, allowing the audience to dive deeper into these extraordinary stories and find the links of inspiration between poems and recorded conversations.

INSPIRATION

The project was sparked by the extraordinary story of Rosa May Billinghurst (1875 - 1953) - a Lewisham born suffragette and campaigner known for her indomitable spirit in fighting for women’s right to vote. She was born with polio, a disease which left her legs paralysed and meant that she had to use a wheelchair, or ‘tricycle’, to get around - and that she did! She joined the Lewisham and Greenwich chapter of the suffragettes along with her mother and sisters and in frustration at the British government refusing their 17 000 petitions for the right to vote she and many others turned to direct action protests. She charged police officers with her tricycle, poured paint down a post box in Blackheath, chained herself to Buckingham Palace, got arrested and imprisoned multiple times where she suffered the horrors of being force-fed. She was awarded a Hunger Strike Medal of Valour – but there is no blue plaque to mark the place she was born - 35 Granville Park, Blackheath. However, local students and writers have been learning about her life and writing powerful poems to celebrate her, and there are some resources in this book so you can too.

12 TOUR

SHEroe Rupa Ganguli and her son, SHEroe Naomi Bennett

The SHEroes exhibition and workshop tour visited Downham Library, Crofton Park Community Library, Deptford Lounge and Manor House Library as well as being on display in the Borough of Culture space in Lewisham during March 2022. Our launch at Lewisham Shopping Centre was shared with the Noras of Lewisham project, who celebrated local women and girls through life sized collages. Through collages, film, poetry and photography we shared inspiring stories of our SHEroes throughout the borough. We hope you enjoy this journey through local stories, who would you add?

SHEroe Ellie Voce (right) and colleague

Students at Rathfern and Brindishe Manor Primary School explored photos and artefacts from the suffragette Rosa May Billinghurst, called May by her friends, then thought of questions they would have asked her. They used these questions to craft their poem celebrating her life, as you read about our SHEroes think of what questions you would ask and what you would ask your own SHEroes - past or present. How did you become so brave? How did you feel when the police kept throwing you down? What passed through your mind as you broke the rules? Why did you go through all of that pain? Were you scared of going to prison? Did your family agree with what you did How hard was it to not eat? Were you willing to die so women could have rights? Did you live a happy life? How hard was it protesting in your tricycle?

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Questions for May

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MAY

Rosa May Billinghurst (1875 - 1953) was a community worker and suffragette who never let her disabilities stop her campaigning. She took part in direct action campaigns and survived three prison sentences - a #SHEroeofLewisham.

Annoyed that people ignored her she destroyed thirty lettersa paint pourer, a post box destroyer. She did bad things for a good cause, knew she would go to a disgusting jaila prison survivor, a prison starver. She was forced to eat through a tube, this was the darkest part of her lifeshe did it to inspire the people to spread awareness of equal rights.

Votes for women!

As persistent as a second hand clicking the clock she bravely tried to get their attentionas a London window smasher, as a palace gate chainer. May was as important as a pollinating bee, the police as annoying as mosquitos.

May was a proud suffragettea sash wearer, a banner flyer. a disabled and brave protester. She did not think it was fair that only rich men voted, her fury at the government was as fiery as lava.

19 They threw her off her tricycle, they took parts off her wheels so she became a tricycle fixer, a police rammer - shouting: we are equal, we are right, we have the power to fight! We are more than we may be, dreams aren’t far from reality. By Year 5 students at Rathfern Primary and Brindishe Manor School Edited by Laila Sumpton

SYBILSybilPhoenix

OBE has been a foster parent, the Civic Mayoress of Lewisham and founded numerous vital community projects such as the Marsha Phoenix Memorial Trust - a #SHEroeofLewisham. Her son Woodrow Phoenix told us her story.

On calm days she carves candles as she knows we need more light her gift is building harbours she knows what storms can do knows that young boats need extra welding and care before they meet the rolling waves when she reached the mothership she wanted to lay anchor heard - ‘no dogs, no Blacks, no Irish’ so the White godparent to her son pretended their home was for him and she vowed to use each breath to build more harbours and baked constant rum cake flotillas to fund the berths and cabins for young women fleeing home, for Black teens, Black neighbours with nowhere to meet and go she saw those who were adrift being turned back from port for not being ‘our kind’ even though the invite was clear and when our queen offered medals called her to the gilded fleet

23 she said no - not until there are more harbours not until I have the means to shelter those unseen by you her compass a gospel song her steeple to guide her on her candle in her window By Laila Sumpton

Rosanna Campbell is the Young Mayor of Lewisham who works closely with the Young Advisors group to make sure young people have their voice heard and are treated with respect no matter their identity - a #SHEroeofLewisham.

ROSANNA

Be a microphone she was a kid with just a dream sometimes she felt anxious like a butterfly hiding but her friend Josh helped her believe and ignore negativity she wanted to be a light improver, a racism fighter, a Lewisham leader a voice spreader for children like a lion protecting her cubs she wanted to be as inspirational as previous young mayor Femi she said - why keep ideas dreams when they can be a reality she had to gather lots of votes by spreading her campaign she wanted afro hair pride she saved afro hair from being denied she wants to destroy racial barriers like a tornado she knew that if she could not reach her goal she would lose the people’s hope she was as determined as a snail climbing the Eiffel Tower when elected as young mayor

27 she uses her power to spread pure positivity in our community she said - I want people to be free I don’t want them tied down why wait to speak when you can speak now By Year 5 students at Rathfern Primary School Edited by Laila Sumpton

ELLIE

Ellie Voce is a firefighter at Forest Hill Fire Station where she drives the fire engines amongst other roles. Her team are like a second family to her and she is a #SHEroeofLewisham.

Storm Eunice for Ellie Deptford High Street, bare and windy-wet. A smoke-grey cloud hangs heavy as I set out on a quest for milk. I wait, dogtired, storm-soaked, to cross the ash-dark road. A fire engine whooshes by, its sirens going. Breath held, instinctively I check my phone, then think of Ellie –that could have been her driving in the driving rain, male drivers flabbergasted in her wake – a woman?! She laughs. No one ever said she couldn’t. The wind picks up and spins a cardboard box –Torvill to its Dean. It lifts then chucks it at the co-op wall – rough night! I buy my milk, then hurry home. Above the sky’s relentless tantrum are the constant stars. I thank them that on nights like this there are the Ellies of this world, who, speeding past, can save a life, and shock a man – and laugh. By Ella Frears

Joan Anim Addo is the UK’s first Black professor of literature, a teacher and a writer of poetry and librettos. She is from Grenada, campaigns for diversity in literature and is a #SHEroeofLewisham.

JOAN

Caribbean dreamer she started as a blossom growing by calm golden beaches she was number one in Grenada studied as hard as a genius then had everything taken away when her new English teacher doubted her intelligence asked- ‘who do you think you are?’ she was treated like an alien and placed in the lowest stream racism from teachers is wrong but her mum stood up to her teacher so she overcame a new start but was an under noticed dreamer who dreamed of being a poet when she saw her face on the page she must have been as happy as a bee making honey she is a dictionary hunter, an opera writer of a surviving slavery libretto she helped equality rise she was a persistent, caring teacher the first Black literature professor

35 and she tells us to be curious not let others decide our future and to see ourselves on the page she is deeply admired in nature loves every creature big and small she’s as soft as a mother’s love and she will never give up By Year 5 at Brindishe Manor School Edited by Laila Sumpton

Yukiko Masui is an internationally renowned dancer, choreographer and teacher from Japan specialising in contemporary and hip hop. They trained at Trinity Laban and is a #SHEroeofLewisham.

YUKIKO

Break the boxes inspired by her gymnast mum, who planted seeds of movement, she was a kendo warrior at school defended herself, quick and sharp she dreamed of being a lawyer wanted justice - to help the people dreamed of being like anime heroes then wanted to be a soulful singer dreamed of stage lights shining hip hop drew joy to her heart and she learnt that dance makes you as happy as a bird her electronic moves have the energy of a cheetah racing light she danced in memory of her uncle dance was the only way to grieve she created a language of emotions courageously she danced like the sea fighting strong winds she stopped herself giving up her dances are like a new species that cannot be boxedboxes are made to bring you down but bring yourself together and learn to brush them off

39 she made dance show that anyone can be who they want to be she knows that women can lead and that men can follow share what you love to do dance will stay with you By Year 5 students at Rathfern Primary School Edited by Laila Sumpton

Bridgit Sam-Bailey from Guyana has campaigned against racism her whole life and has worked at the Home Office, in education and now chairs the Lewisham Pensioners Forum, a #SHEroeofLewisham.

BRIDGET

Back then, when she was in college, people thought Black shouldn’t be there. But she did it, she did; she sparked a change, making those in the dark, now aware.

Back then, when she was a teacher, she taught about World War II. But she did it, she did; in her own way – so Black and Brown soldiers they knew.

Now to today, the years have passed by, they think it’s the end of her fight. But she does it, she does; wielding her cape to campaign for pensioners’ rights.

She did it

Some frown to see a Black leader, even hope to witness her fall. But here in the “mother country”, she refuses to ever feel small.

Back then, when she was 10, they said girls shouldn’t be seen. But she did it, she did; she sang out loud, determined to live out her dreams.

43 “I did what I wanted,” she says with pride, and shares a word from the wise: When life slaps you down, get on right up; for your future’s as wide as the sky. By Carinya Sharples

Naomi Bennett founded and directs a social enterprise called Lesflicks which supports Lesbian, Bi and Queer film fans and content creators. She has made a vital space for the community, a #SHEroeofLewisham.

NAOMI

By Carmina Masoliver

Made of Us She comes uninvited, takes a seat at the table, all rainbow eyeshadow and peacock-feather eyelashes. At first, they underestimate her lipstick and floral print dresses, adornment in jangling earrings and sparkling necklaces, but with her glasses perched at the edge of her nose, her eyes cut through the double-glazed glass ceiling with such precision, the suits sit still as mannequins as it glitters rain inside the office. She walks out, heels crunching underneath her steps, in search of Sapphic stories with happy endings, instead of merely serving and seducing straight men, being shown as mentally ill, with a side of bi-erasure and death: always so much death. It leaves a little loneliness behind: a blue-grey heart that these stories can fill with sunset oranges and pinks, a place where pink and blue meet and mix to make purples too. They give space for our voices to speak, not the puppetry of the past, but a change that’s going to last as we build a community on the basis of the stories, not that made us, but are made of us.

Rupa Ganguli is an Indian social entrepreneur and campaigner for sustainable development and equality within the textile industry. She directs Inclusive Trade and is a #SHEroeofLewisham.

RUPA

50 Eco SHEroe she was brought up by her grandma who said ‘you can do anything’ she is a scholarship winner who swung hockey balls into goals she makes dark fabrics brighter with her mind inspiring dream of creating a business of textiles with a sustainable team she loves growing small businesses into vast golden sunflowers she planted a community determined she changed the future she was told she couldn’t be a leader she showed them what she could do she is a word stitcher, a fashion speaker she delivered a speech at 500 men she advises us to be as patient as a tiger waiting to pounce she tells us to be as creative as an artwork coming to life she is an artistic money weaver telling us to follow our dreams

51 because the time that you loose you’re never getting it back she wants our planet to be healthy no more clothes taking over bins she’s an eco SHEroe and Rupa is her name By Year 5 students at Brindishe Manor School Edited by Laila Sumpton

LESLEY

Lesley Allen worked as a NHS mental health nurse for the elderly before setting up and running a lively social club in Catford for adults over 60 called The Diamond CLub - a #SHEroeofLewisham.

The call to care Lesley heard it young, singing clear, she breathed it in, it filled her lungs. She folded hospital corners wondering how to grow joy with strong roots- not wilted in jugs she was always topping up.

She watched an Irish Ward Sister bring smiles back to the elders who wandered fractured minds, but when harpists packed up for good and that silence crept back in she knew our elders needed songneeded somewhere to grow in the sun so she carved and set the Diamond Club where clinking teacups chatter and dance. Do pack your shades for the Diamond Clubthey’ll whisk you to Egypt, Sweden, France via their secret Catford portal!

Bring sweatbands for seated zumba, bring clovers for bingo, bring scones, pom poms, paint and poems. Bring doorstep birthday songs, bring worries, find hearts and nods as these elders learn to battle

55 sleepless nights then unpuzzle and prepare for the longest sleep we never spoke of till now. She helps our elders unstitch knots, she brings sunflowers on grey days, she plants friendships in empty pots. By Laila Sumpton

2. What were your dreams and ambitions when you were little? What did other people say about these dreams? Was there any advice or feedback you were given that made a real difference? What was it and who said it? Tell me about your life right now and what you do and enjoy? What have been some of your proudest moments? And why?

1. Who are some of the people who inspired you, why?

6. Tell me about what you did to get to where you are now and what motivated you? What were some of challenges you overcame? What advice would you have given to yourself as a young person?

Interview questions: Here are some of the questions we asked our SHEroes in our interviews, use them to craft a new poem or story about a woman or girl who you want to celebrate!

10. Anything you would like to add to your story?

9. What advice would you give to present day children and young people?

Resources for creating your own SHEroe poem

Once you have researched your SHEroe’s story write down 7 words to describe them

Kenning maker

Next think of 4 things that your SHEroe has done - verbs, and put them in the column on the right. Make sure these are stem verbs ending in ‘er’ - ‘dancer, guider, stirrer.’ lines between the nouns and verbs to create a two word phrase: a kenning - ‘curry stirrer, book dancer, cat guider.’ Add some more!

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Think of 4 objects and things (nouns) connected with your SHEroe - these could be real or tangible things (curry, book, cat) or things that can only be seen or felt (smile, patience, story).

• Draw

Write these in the column on the left.

58 Kenning mixxer! wordLewisham danclighterer She is a Noun (a place thing or feeling from her story) Verb + er (something she did)

60 What is her personality? As...As...As... More SHEroe Poem Ingredients! Look back at the words you have used to describe your SHEroe’s personality, think of an animal, object or place that can help describe this and tell us why. She was a brave as a snail climbing the Eiffel tower. It made her as angry as a volcano exploding with red hot lava! as a... as a... as a...

61 What would she put on a banner at a protest? What does she want?

62 is a SHEroe Question Poem (aim for 8 - 10 syllables per line ) Tell us about their herWhatbeginning?weredreams? She...She...SheSheShe...She...She...She...dreamed...wanted...

63 What has she done in her life, why did she do it? adviceWhatovercome?didchallengesWhatsheishertous? She...She...She...She...She...She...She...She...

Carmina Masoliver is a poet from south London, and founder of She Grrrowls feminist arts nights. She has been sharing her poetry on both the page and the stage for over a decade, and her small chapbook was published by Nasty Little Press in 2014. Her latest book ‘Circles’ is published by Burning Eye Books (2019) and is an illustrated long-form poem, and she recently selfpublished ‘Selected Poems: 2007 – 2012’, a mixed media pamphlet of poems. Her poetry has also been featured in publications such as Popshot Magazine, The Rialto and Brittle Star. Alumni of the Roundhouse Poetry Collective, she has featured at nights such as

The poets and artists who have contributed their talents to SHEroes of Lewisham:

Acknowledgements and thanks

Ella Frears is a poet and visual artist. Her pamphlet, Passivity, Electricity, Acclivity was published by Goldsmiths Press. She has published two collections ‘Shine, Darling’ (Offord Road Books) and ‘I AM THE MOTHER CAT’ (Rough Trade Books). She’s had poems in the LRB, Poetry London, Ambit, and The Rialto among others and was a finalist for the Arts Foundation Fellowship in Poetry. She’s completed residencies for the National Trust, Tate Britain, K6 Gallery and Royal Holloway University. Her collaborative installation The Six Pillars of Modernism, was exhibited at Tate St.Ives.

65 Bang Said the Gun, and festivals including Latitude, Bestival and Lovebox both as a collective and individually.

Carinya Sharples is a London writer and facilitator. She has led creative-writing workshops for libraries, schools, refugee organisations, and runs a workshop series for mixed-race magazine ‘Middleground’.

Laila Sumpton is a poet, editor, performer and educator who works with schools, hospitals, museums, galleries and charities on a wide variety of poetry projects. She manages the Arts Council funded initiative Poetry Vs Colonialism - where poets work with museums, academics and schools to explore the British empire and its legacy. She was recently the Keats House Poet in residence and has co - edited ‘Where We Find Ourselves’ an anthology from Global Majority writers published by Arachne Press. Laila has been commissioned by Tate Modern, the Tower of London and the Royal Free Hospital amongst others and published in numerous anthologies and magazines including Ambit and Modern Poetry in Translation.

In 2020, she co-edited and published the book ‘Inspire: Exciting Ways of Teaching Creative Writing’, while completing an MA in Creative Writing and Education at Goldsmiths. She has been published by Commonwealth Writers’ adda, The London Reader, BBC World Service, Gal-Dem, The Guyana Annual, among others.

With thanks to:

The brilliant Goldsmiths University of London MA students Nicole Fersko and Autumn Sharkey who co-facilitated school and library Collaboratingworkshops.artists for Noras of Lewisham Cristina Villalonga Manrique de Lara and Belén L.Yáñez.

The students and staff at Brindishe Manor and Rathfern Primary Schools for their creativity and support. Downham Library, Crofton Park Community Library, Deptford Lounge and Manor House Library who supported the exhibition and workshop tour. Lewisham Council and Arts Council England And finally and most importantly the SHEroes themselves for trusting us with their stories.

Who are your SHEroes?

This poetry collection gathers together the stories of ten inspiring women and girls from Lewisham - meet a dancer, a firefighter, our Young Mayor, a suffragette and more! SHEroes of Lewisham is lead by poet Laila Sumpton and bought together local libraries, schools and poets - Carmina Masoliver, Ella Frears and Carinya Sharples as well as filmmaker and graphic designer Damian Wilk. Together they explored the struggles and successes of women as a part of the Lewisham Borough of Culture celebrations. With poetry resources and interview tips included, you too can create a poem celebrating your SHEroes! the @sheroesoflewisham on instagram and see all of the poems, photos and interviews!

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