Thanks to Evelyn for this latest news from the Ventnor writing group ‘Telling Tales’. Ed
Not something we usually do unless it is a birthday, but the Ventnor writing group ‘Telling Tales’ under the guidance of John Goodwin, set out to explore opportunities to meet and celebrate the lives of Island residents over 70 years old.
We all felt that there must be lots of stories worth the telling that never reach our ears.
Gathering memories and photographs
We were to each interview two people. This had to be done with tact and respect and ensure that the interviewee approved anything we wrote. We explained that it would be part of an exhibition with their photograph to accompany the text.
To our delight, nine volunteers were happy to talk about their lives, pleased to have their stories and photographs on display and all attended the launch of the exhibition at the Community Cafe in Ventnor on the afternoon of 26th June. It was a splendid social afternoon where we listened and laughed and there were also some tears.
One woman said how much she had enjoyed being interviewed, “It was an opportunity to collect my lifelong experiences,” another said she thought she was “nothing” but after the interviews she felt “quite important”.
Wonderful collection of stories
There was David who had been a volunteer coastguard for 33 years; someone else who had spent some time in prison; Daphne who had photographed so many pieces of Ventnor architecture that she had produced 40 albums.
There was Bernard who had fought an enemy with cans of ‘Bully Beef’ and Irish stew; and Iris who lived in Bromley during the air raids of WW2 and was ‘bombed out’ three times.
There was such a range of experience and so much enjoyment in the telling and the listening. It is an exhibition not to be missed. It has something to interest everyone.
Visit the exhibition
The exhibition is in the Community Café on the corner of Pier Street and Albert Street throughout July. Usually open on Friday and Saturday mornings.
We hope to transfer it to Ventnor Library late August and who knows where else it will go on the Island.
