Tuesday, March 24th, 2020, was the first day of the lockdown in Scotland. For almost a year before the pandemic, I was bedbound. I’d spent the first two months of the previous year in hospital. I had injured my back, and it had gone into debilitating and painful spasms. This, on top of the fact … Continue reading Multiple sclerosis through lockdown
Cameron McNeish is an award-winning writer and television presenter whose fields of interest include mountaineering, hillwalking, backpacking, cycle touring, mountain biking and Scots and Irish traditional music. He is also an avid campervan man! For twenty years Cameron was editor of The Great Outdoors magazine, and he now edits Scottish Walks and Scottish Cycling. He also … Continue reading Quick & Quirky Questions with Cameron McNeish
Most people have heard of Multiple Sclerosis, and also Motor Neurone Disease, since Rob Burrow and Doddie Weir highlighted that disease through their own experiences. These illnesses and many others, like cancer and dementia, attract quite a lot of funding, media campaigns and governmental research. However, my illness, Myasthenia Gravis, is little known and research … Continue reading Living with Chronic Illness
Throughout April we asked you to submit flash entries around dance and neurodivergency. We’re thrilled to announce the well deserved winner, 84 year old Peter Davies! He wins a copy of John Elder Robison’s Look Me In The Eye as his prize. About Peter Take Your Partners Slow, slow, quick, quick, slow, followed by the unmistakeable tune … Continue reading Dance and Neurodivergence – Winning Entry
In the lush green county of Hampshire lies a range of chalk hills: the South Downs. As a young boy I lived close to these hills in the post-war 1940s as an unofficial evacuee from the London bombings. These diminutive hills rose to the dizzy height of 800 feet at their highest point, Butser Hill, … Continue reading A week in Kintail
Irene Haining spent the majority of her working life in Glasgow teaching in an inner-city school. Although she and her husband Andrew enjoyed their time in the city, they always knew they were country people at heart. On retirement they returned to their native Dumfries & Galloway, and both agree that it was an excellent … Continue reading Growing older … and feeling healthier
“I love this beautiful book. It will not only help you to die a good death it will strengthen you to live a good life” Richard Holloway We are honoured and delighted to offer a free copy of Living Our Dying to the person who writes the most striking and memorable flash memoir based on … Continue reading Living Our Dying
Neither of my parents were keen on walking, but I had an older sister who took me on holiday to the Lake District at the age of ten and then, when I was twelve, she and her then fiancé took me youth hostelling and we climbed Helvellyn. That was the start of my love for … Continue reading Walks of Life
As some of you may know from our newsletters and social media activity, Autumn Voices is looking for Trustees. In June 2021, Autumn Voices’ founder, Robin Lloyd-Jones, brought together a Steering Group to guide the organisation forwards and put together the necessary elements for us to apply to become a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation, or … Continue reading Putting Our Trust In Trustees
Sarah Crofts, aged 68, retired from working as a university librarian nearly seven years ago. As well as dancing Morris, she is a musician who plays Anglo-concertina, mostly at sessions these days although she has played as part of a ceilidh/barn dance band in the past. She is also an organiser, with others, of the … Continue reading Morris Dancing
They say we are all a product of our childhood. Well, if my childhood was anything to go by then I should have turned out a total wreck, and in some ways, I did start heading in that direction. Being the overweight kid, with NHS glasses and homemade clothes, I was the butt of everyone’s … Continue reading A Foxy Dance
Throughout March we asked you, our amazing Autumn Voices community to submit flash entries on the topic of d/Deafness. We received a number of lovely pieces and made the tough decision of picking a winning entry. We’re thrilled to announce the winner is Wendy Webb. Wendy wins a copy each of Ilya Kaminsky’s Deaf Sentence courtesy of … Continue reading Hearing Loss Awareness – Winning Entry
Neurodivergence – or neurodiversity – are words that get bandied about a lot right now, and not everyone knows what they mean. Adopted first by those on the Autism spectrum, the terms have now expanded to describe almost anyone whose thought processes don’t conform to what’s considered the standard (or ‘neurotypical’) model. That means everything … Continue reading Uncommon senses
Autumn Voices, in partnership with Gatehouse of Fleet’s The Bakehouse Community Arts, is delighted to report on the second day of poetry and publishing workshops offered as part of our ‘Watering Grassroots’ live event series, funded by DG Unlimited. 10:30 – 12:00 – Start Writing Poetry with John Burns The sun was shining in Gatehouse … Continue reading Gatehouse of Fleet Workshops – March 26th 2022
As I see the first daffodils bravely open – shades of yellow brightness defying the relentless grey of winter – I am reminded of the deep sense of privilege I feel working as a health care assistant with Marie Curie. Throughout these last few weeks however, many of us have been feeling distraught and helpless … Continue reading The Great Daffodil Appeal
