The Well Community Writing Group
Overview
The Well Community Centre - 49 Vicarage Lane, East Ham, London, E6 6DQ
Newham residents are welcome to join the creative writing group at The Well, supported as part of Culture Within Newham’s Micro-Commissioning programme. Two sessions plus a celebration event will be led by local writer Luan Goldie.
Regardless of your writing experience, education or level of English, each session everyone who attends will be encouraged to write something, and share their work in a comfortable and non-judgemental space. The sharing of working is very important as it helps the group to recognise each attendee as a writer, and celebrate everyone’s individual voice.
Upcoming dates include:
Wednesday 5th March 2025
Wednesday 2nd April 2025
Follow us on Instagram, or sign up to our newsletter to be the first to sign up for the celebration event.
About the sessions
Sessions will begin with two icebreaker-style writing exercises, a piece of published writing will be read, such as a story or a poem. Everyone will then be encouraged to write a longer piece.
These sessions aim to be friendly, supportive, welcoming and fun for all who attend.
Some people come every month, while others drop-in occasionally. There is no need to book ahead, and Luan is contactable through social media or The Well to answer any questions.
The writing group will have a nice, warm room at The Well with hot drinks and usually a slice of freshly-baked cake.
The group is currently working towards producing a printed anthology of their work. This will happen in the Spring and be launched with a celebratory showcase, where the writers can share their work with friends, families and members of the local community in East Ham and Newham.
About the project partners
Luan Goldie
A Glasgow born novelist, short story writer and teacher from East London.
Her work has been nominated for several literary awards including the Women’s Prize for Fiction and the Royal Society of Literature Ondaatje Prize. Her novels for adults include Nightingale Point, Homecoming and These Streets (HarperCollins).
In 2018 she won the Costa Short Story Award, and her short stories have appeared in Stylist, HELLO! Magazine and the Sunday Express. She was also one of thirteen writers invited to CERN to collaborate with physicists for Collision, a short story collection.
Goldie’s series of books for children aged 9+ was released in 2024. Skylar and the K-pop Headteacher was followed by Oops, I Kidnapped a Pharaoh! (Walker Books) and Skylar and the K-pop Principal (Candlewick Press, USA).
A former primary school teacher, Goldie now runs creative writing workshops. She has worked with Arvon and Spread the Word and is a First Story Writer-in-Residence working with young people in London.
BDCA┃Bonny Downs Community Association
This is a dynamic community-led charity that has been serving the residents of the London Borough of Newham since 1998. They support a diverse cross-section of our local community, working with people of all ages, cultures and backgrounds.
They have a positive impact on local lives through a wide range of services and activities designed to bring people together and provide opportunities for people to connect with neighbours; improve their health and wellbeing; access the support they need; learn new skills; give back to their community; and celebrate life.
What are Micro-Commissions for Newham?
In December 2024 Culture Within Newham launched a new micro-commissioning scheme for grants of up to £1,000. The first round offered commissions to artists and organisations in the Green Street, East Ham, Manor Park, and Little Ilford areas. The second round of commissions was for Custom House, Beckton, and Royal Albert/North Woolwich.
The micro-commissions aim to support new ideas, providing an opportunity to build experience in delivering artistic or creative projects. Meet the rest of the Micro-Commissions on their dedicated project page.
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