jolenesheehan Chorlton, community, community writing, Manchester, memories

Mapping Our Connections

Hear this blog post read aloud:

We started off 2025 with a brilliant session led by Jean Byrne, who talked about her work with Friends of Longford Park. She demonstrated how creating a community map of groups and resources brought people together in lasting ways. Jean also reflected on how much she learned from the project, discovering the incredible contributions of so many local people and organisations.

Inspired by this wonderful example, I led a follow-up session, where we shared an interactive activity using a giant web of wool to explore the different ways we’re all connected. Together, we considered how these connections are not only shaped by place but also by the histories and stories that tie us to each other over time.

Six members of the group, four men and two women of different ages, seated at one end of the large table, each holding a piece of the web created as part of the exercise. The web stretches into the foreground, showing there are other members of the group also holding it, not included in the photograph.
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margaretkendall community writing, Manchester

Memorable concerts or sporting events

Tony introduced our session on this topic by showing us his large collection of concert and football match tickets, programmes and memorabilia going back many years. They included some Manchester City match tickets his uncle had given him from the 1950s. We were amazed at the difference in the entrance prices between then and now!

He got us thinking and talking about our own experiences of attending concerts and sporting events and sharing our memories of what they had meant to us. Some of us recalled specific occasions we’ll never forget and the people we were with, others reflected on the significance in our lives of music and sport, whether or not we were fans ourselves.

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margaretkendall community writing, intergenerational, Manchester, memories

Where were you when…?

Shane opened our meeting by reading a piece he’d written in advance relating to the question “Where were you when..?   The discussion which followed included key events over the past sixty years and explored a variety of themes, for example:  imperfect memories, the blending of fiction with fact, differing perspectives, the relationship between micro and macro events, time, tragedy, and upheaval.  Read on for thought-provoking and moving stories, reflections and poetry written by some of the members of our group.

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jolenesheehan Chorlton, community writing, lockdown, Manchester, memories

The benefits of being in green spaces

In our recent session, we had a wonderful conversation about the vital role of nature and green spaces in our lives. We discussed how the sense of safety that birdsong brings, the calming effect of fractals on our minds, and the beauty of petrichor—the smell of the ground after rain—are all crucial to our well-being.

We also touched on how we often seek these green spaces as we would a lake or a well when the green inside us feels dried up, quenching our thirst for nature. Our talk highlighted the significance of urban design and how living in the city heightens our craving for green spaces. (We love that where we live is so green and lush, even though it’s right by the city!)

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margaretkendall Chorlton, community writing, Manchester, memories

Thoughts and memories about art

Joyce opened our first meeting on this topic with her definition of art as “creative expression of communication of ideas and something, in my opinion, to be treasured”.   We enjoyed seeing examples of her textile art she had brought with her.  In the lively discussions which followed, both in person and online, we shared varied experiences and thoughts about art, but all agreed on its importance in our lives.  We shared how other people in our lives helped us in the past or help us now to appreciate art in all its forms.

On 18th May, as part of Chorlton Arts Festival, we gave participants in our session a taste of what we do in our meetings. Some of us then read out our writing from the blog post which follows.  We hope you enjoy reading our thoughts and welcome any comments of your own at the end.

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jolenesheehan community writing, Manchester, memories

Great Storytellers We Have Known

When I heard this topic suggested by Anne and Alberto, I was intrigued and also not sure how I might go about presenting it to the group.  Where to start?  Storytelling has come to mean such a lot of things!  

My first thoughts had me reflecting on the heritage of oral storytelling, particularly the variety of traditional stories we grow up with.  I also started thinking about people I know who are great at the skill of telling a spoken story.  Then my mind jumped to how all modern entertainment, including films, games, t.v. and adverts all use storytelling to deliver a message or way of seeing the world.  Finally, I found myself pondering the many ways that psychologically, spiritually and culturally, we tell ourselves stories all the time, about who we are, where we come from and what the meaning of this often confusing thing called life is.  

I had no clue how to weave these thoughts and more into a brief intro. Instead I chose to start the session with the beginning of a poem called The Storyteller by Mike Jones. I followed this with a couple of simple questions, trusting that the group would perform its usual magic and inspire each other and me into deeper reflections which we could then connect through. The following blog is a testament to the group’s magic which I was right to trust, what great storytellers they all are and how yes, I am truly grateful to know them.

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margaretkendall Chorlton, community writing, Manchester, memories

Getting around

Joe led us in a second great session on journeys and transport, this time concentrating on the ways in which we regularly got around, whether on foot, by bike, train or in the cars we owned.  There was so much to talk about!   We shared stories of travelling to school, holiday outings, regular commutes to and from work, some within Manchester and some far away.  As well as vividly re-living those frequent journeys, the people we were with, or were on our way to, featured strongly in our fond memories.   

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margaretkendall Chorlton, community writing, Manchester, memories

Autumn

Most of us said “leaves” when Lucy asked us to say one word we associated with Autumn.  We talked of their vibrant colours on crisp yet sunny autumn days, the feel of them underfoot, watching them fall and their distinctive Autumn smell.   Despite some wistfulness at leaving Summer behind, we shared memories of poetry, new starts at school, college or university, walks in parks, bonfires, days out, holidays and excitement at the start of the football season.  

Our recent experiences of Autumn included the joy of seeing a much-loved toddler pick up a leaf from the pavement and gaze at it in wonder, and the happy sound of children twittering like birds as they returned to school, after such a long time. 

Paintings by Mary Marsland, used with permission and thanks.
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