Update for supporters - 18th June 2016
Hello lovelies. Once again I’d like to give a huge and special thanks to everyone that’s supported my book projects. Notably ‘Poems From a Runaway, but also ‘Welcome To Leatheton’ and ‘How Not To Fit Up a Squatter’. I’ve got some tasty news for you this month. I’m over the moon to say that the wonderful Foundling Museum (Brunswick Square, London) have asked me to write a commissioned poem in response to one of Quentin Blake’s drawings for his upcoming exhibition at the museum which is titled ‘Gifted’ and will run from 25th June until 26th September 2021. Quentin Blake is a patron of the museum, known as a ‘Foundling Fellow’ and has gifted the museum 24 of his drawings from the collections ‘Children and Dogs’ and ‘Children, Birds and Dogs’. I’ve written a poem called ‘The Giant Magic Tree’ which will be placed alongside his drawing at the museum and I can’t wait to see it all up on the wall. (The foundling Museum are currently working hard to get the exhibition ready and I’m sure it will look fab.)
The museum itself is really interesting, which is based on the original site of the Foundling Hospital, which wasn’t actually a hospital but the UK’s first child welfare charity started by philanthropist and sea captain Thomas Coram back in 1739 which helped what were back then called ‘illegitimate’ children and other children which for a number of reason’s couldn’t stay with their mother, or parents. Back then a shocking, sad and whopping 75% of children in London never made it past the age of five years old. The charity was very much needed, but of course has completely changed with the times since then and is known now simply as Coram. Anyhow, I’ll save all the nitty-gritty of it for those that want to visit. Due to current Covid restrictions, anyone wanting to visit will have to book their space through the following link. https://the-foundling-museum.arttickets.org.uk/the-foundling-museum/2021-05-21-general-admissions?t=1623879143676
Supporters can also direct friends, family and colleagues to my blog post about it at https://www.benwestwooduk.com/post/gifted
I’ve also made a few more of my unique bracelets which can be found at the shop on my website. For those that don’t know, I make every bead myself from polymer clay and right now I have some absolutely epic glow in the dark one’s. Check out my new additions called ‘Cosmic Blast’.
They can be ordered by anyone within the UK from https://www.benwestwooduk.com/available-items
Poems From a Runaway now available as an audiobook
Poems From a Runaway is finally now available as an audiobook on Audible and is narrated by the wonderful Steve King. You can find it at https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Poems-from-a-Runaway-Audiobook/B093DWR79Y
Although I’m temporarily out of signed colour copies of Poems From a Runaway, a much more affordable version can still be found on Amazon at https://www.amazon.co.uk/Poems-runaway-story-Ben-Westwood/dp/1981314350 Hopefully I’ll get some more of the signed one’s ordered for this Christmas though.
Book reading and public speaking
For anyone in the social work or fostering field that receives this newsletter, I’d like to let you all know I’m available once again for book readings, presentations and Q&A’s. The last few years has brought me some great moments sharing my childhood experiences with charities such as Missing Children Europe, Anglia Ruskin University and Sunflower Fostering up in Shropshire, among many others including safeguarding and missing children conferences.
For any requests or any other questions please email benwestwooduk@gmail.com
Stay safe everyone, and once again thanks for everyone that’s helped to make everything that I’ve been involved with happen since the start of me deciding to write Poems From a Runaway. Big Love. Ben Westwood. https://benwestwooduk.com
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