John Bassett

During the last week of March, I visited an old friend and colleague, John Bassett. John is a playwright and a theatre producer who lives in Stroud, Gloucestershire.

We met in his living room and enjoyed catching up with one another. John and I have worked on projects to inspire older people and carers to participate in drama.

John runs the Spaniel in the Works Theatre Company. The website can be found at Spaniel In The Works Theatre Company was formed in 2002, by a group of performers/writers with a wealth of experience in different areas of theatre. The aim of the Spaniels is to attract an audience who would not regularly go to the theatre, bringing quality theatrical entertainment to as wide an audience as possible.

Grace Armshaw

 Grace Armshaw was exhibiting at the Stroud Valley Arts when I visited Stroud on Saturday 16th March.

Stroud Day Out

 On the 16th March, I visited Stroud. First of all I visited the indoor market. Then, wandering around the market, my eyes were alert to the business and colour of the stalls and people who were visiting them.

Carol Frances hosts a show on GFM. Carol is something of a champion in her community. She works as a Community Development Officer, a Magistrate and with her husband Derrick, runs the radio station. GFM is a station dedicated to music of black origin. 

I work at GFM as a volunteer news presenter reading the Caribbean News. I am inspired by all that Carol and Derrick have achieved with the team at GFM.

Stroudwater Walk

 Yesterday, I took a walk along the Stroudwater Canal.

I have visited this section of the canal before and walked along it before work changed the appearance of The Ocean; a section of the canal that was broader than it is now.

On the canal banks, I saw evidence of the diversity of nature with a few different species of flowering plants and bird life. 

I wonder how the canal will change when it is open to boats. I hope this diversity can be maintained alongside of the new leisure life. 

Mr Hodgson is in his 90's. He was my art teacher back in the early 80's. It was great to see Mr Hodsgon again when I visited him in 2018.

At school, Mr Hodgson made an impression on me with his quirky character. Sometimes he would play banjo in the classroom and I remember him creating a sculpture out of old chair legs using an arc welder, while we did our best to look away.

Lansdown Open Studios 2023