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ALL TOGETHER NOW The impact of this pandemic has been that many have felt – or worried that others have felt – isolated and lonely; no easy problem to solve, especially during a national lockdown. But the Exeter community rallied forming a plethora of projects, reach-out programmes and collaborations to bring people together. Here are just two.

Lockdown Blues is a project where members of the community were invited to share their creative responses to loneliness during lockdown, which then got turned into an online scrapbook. The result is a huge, and very touching, collection of poems, art, photos, videos, short bits of writing, and songs. This creative sharing space came about through a collaboration between academics

Charlotte Jones, Frederick Cooper, Olly Clabburn, all at the Wellcome Centre for Cultures and Environments of Health © DARREN SHADDICK at the University of Exeter, Exeter Phoenix, Devon Libraries and UNESCO Exeter city of Literature. “The project started as a way of letting people express how they’re feeling, primarily through writing or making art,” says Frederick. “We also wanted people to be able to see these and (hopefully) identify with them in some way, or realise that other people are going through similar things.” Anybody is welcome to send in their contributions. For more: www. lockdownblues.co.uk Darren Shaddick’s art shows people’s experiences

Standing tall, Cygnet Theatre

Charity

SAVE IT Theatres are facing a very uncertain future at the moment; one such is Exeter’s Cygnet Theatre who is reaching out to the community with the launching of #SaveOurTheatres Crowdfunder as part of a national campaign, with backing from the Theatres Trust and its Ambassador Jude Law.

Cygnet Theatre was created as a charity to train the next generation of repertory actors and bring communities together; it is a place to come together, to be entertained and to be inspired and has a legion of fans, notably Sir Ian McKellen who said after a visit to the theatre,

“In future, when I am asked what an aspiring actor can do to advance their hopes of a career in live theatre, I shall recommend applying for a place at the Cygnet.” For more: www.crowdfunder.co.uk/save-cygnet-theatre

left: Exeter City Football Club fans are the best; below: Jamie Vittles, chief exec of CITY Community Trust

Second up is health and wellbeing charity Exeter CITY Community Trust who have developed a unique programme designed for older people living in Exeter. The programme, called Tackling Loneliness Together, provides lots of opportunities for interaction, from telephone and ‘garden gate’ chats, to free activity packs and special Zoom sessions which offer sports talks, bakes and chat and even some beginners’ IT training.

Of the activities on offer, one of the most special is the pen pals initiative. Youngsters in the city are being linked up with an older person to embrace letter writing. You can choose to write about anything you like, or you can join the Grecian pen pals which links older and younger fans of Exeter City Football Club.

Already signed up to the programme is 22-yearold University of Exeter student Ellie Doherr.

“When I read about this initiative it just appealed to me and I felt motivated to get involved,” she says.

“If writing some letters could brighten someone’s day or just make a difference to a person who is isolated, it seems like a really lovely thing to do.”

If you would like to be involved, please contact Jack Watts at jack.watts@ecfc.co.uk For more: www.exetercct.org

Lockdown legend Mahi Ahmed

© ALAN QUICK

Photography

LOCKDOWN LEGENDS Literature Works has announced best-selling novelist Patrick Gale as the Quay Words Autumn 2020 writer-in-residence for their upcoming season of programmes.

The theme of this season is ‘wellbeing’, which is at the heart of Exeter’s programme as a UNESCO City of Literature.

Patrick’s works include his 2017 novel Man in an Orange Shirt which was screened by BBC2 as part of the Gay Britannia season and won an International Emmy for best miniseries.

As part of his residence at Literature Works, Patrick will be hosting a series of events with other emerging writers, exploring the many positive impacts of reading and writing, while also looking at how mental health runs as a theme through his own writing.

“I’m thrilled at the prospect of being writer-in-residence in such a stunning and atmospheric old building as the Custom House and of helping put together a series of public events there around the theme of wellbeing,” says Richard.

“Now more than ever we need the healing power of reading and writing and I’m looking forward to roping in some old friends to help me spread the word.” An exhibition called Lockdown Legends has been launched to celebrate the local people who have shown particular kindness, courage, humanity, or ingenuity in the last few months.

Launched by Exeter’s Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery (RAMM), alongside Liveable Exeter and Exeter City Council, members of the public were invited to nominate their Coronavirus champions, submitting both their stories and photographs to illustrate inspirational accounts of hard work, compassion and selfl essness.

Those nominated ranged from Novelist Patrick Gale will be hanging out down at the Quay

Exeter Custom House has recently reopened to the public and a small socially-distanced audience can attend the events in person. The events will be simultaneously broadcast live from Exeter Custom House, free of charge to an online audience. refuse collectors to face mask creators, fundraising heroes to taxi drivers-turned-delivery men, parents, grandparents, young people and many more. Lockdown Legends celebrates the resilience of the people of Devon, showcasing those who have given so much during the Coronavirus crisis, helping some of Devon’s most vulnerable populations. It brings their stories together to be shared with everyone.

Award-winning broadcaster and presenter Angela Rippon CBE was one of the panellists who reviewed these nominations.

“There have been many uplifting stories about the heroic and selfl ess actions of individuals who have gone above and beyond to help others during this unprecedented time,” she says.

“This exhibition is an opportunity to celebrate and honour them and provide those that have been supported, or seen the lives of others improved, a chance to thank those individuals.”

The stories are available to view now on the RAMM website as well as at Exeter Guildhall, Exeter Library, Barnstaple Library and at Exeter Princesshay.

Literature

SAY THE WORD

For more: www.showcase.rammuseum.org.uk

© MARKUS BIDAUX

KEY DATES: Wednesday 21 October, 6.30 - 8pm: ‘Reading and wellbeing’ with Ella Berthoud, hosted by Patrick Gale.

Wednesday 11 November, 6.30 -7.30pm: Author event with Patrick Gale.

Wednesday 18 November, 6.30 - 8pm: ‘Writing, creativity and therapy’ with Salley Vickers, hosted by Patrick Gale.

Wednesday 2 December, 6.30 - 8pm: Quay Voices hosted by Patrick Gale.

For more: literatureworks.org.uk