Friday 4 May 2012

Meeting Report: 30th April 2012

Strewth!  Fair Dinkum, Cobbers!  On Monday 30 April the Group enjoyed a light-hearted writing workshop based on Strine (Australian English to you Poms.)  Ably organised and led by old Australia hand Richard Holdsworth, and aided by his cobber Nick Nicola, the activities were designed to help us foster our creativity and free up our thinking.  As one might expect, both Richard and Nick led proceedings wearing very stylish hats complete with dangling corks – and don’t ask what they did with the blow-up kangaroo.

We started with an enjoyable quiz to increase our Strine vocabulary.  (How many people know that a ‘Herbert Adams’ is a meat pie, a ‘red-back’ is a particularly nasty poisonous Australian spider, and an Egg Nisher?  An air-conditioner...).  We were then set an exercise to use as many of the words as possible in a story or a poem.   When we shared our efforts, the results were hilarious.   It was felt that some members’ work was particularly praiseworthy:  Jill Fricker, for using all the words to make a poem, John Cornelius, for using all the words in a story, and Steph Gaunt, who had not quite managed to include all the words but produced a story that made sense.  As Steph had also guessed the most words in the quiz, she was declared overall winner.  She was delighted to receive a copy of Richard’s book about his adventures in Australia, ‘In the Hot Seat’, as her prize.

We ended with a rendition of ‘Waltzing Matilda’.  Yes, we can sing as well as write!

The Group meets fortnightly at the White Rock Hotel. If you are interested in joining, (there is currently a waiting list), or in finding out more about our activities, please contact the Membership Secretary, Amanda Giles, on 01424 442707 or e-mail membership.hwg@gmail.com. You can also visit our website at www.hastingswriters.co.uk.

Report by Steph Gaunt

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