Medway’s writer callout is inspired by local heroes.
Gillingham Library is holding a contest for original creative writing inspired by the “circle of six women” and are encouraging the residents of Medway to get involved.
The Medway Libraries initiative honours the lives and contributions of six women who have a close connection to Gillingham.
These women are:
- Kathleen Courtney, Suffragist, and peace campaigner.
- Sarah Forbes Bonetta, African Princess and Goddaughter to Queen Victoria
- Rosemary Tonks, Poet and Novelist
- Verena Holmes, Inventor and engineer
- Dr Lorna Wing, Pioneering Psychiatrist
- Eileen Tirzah Garwood, Artist
Most of these women were born and raised in Kent.
This competition seeks to promote pride in Gillingham and its past as well as awareness of the lives of these six ladies. The arts council financed the lottery-funded initiative, which includes several presentations, workshops, a mural, and a community book project.
As part of the community’s creative reaction and inspiration to these women’s lives and contributions, the library has commissioned two books from regional publishers. Two novels will be released, one for readers 7 to 16 and the other for those 17 and older.
On October the 10th on World Mental Health Day Gillingham Library held a talk in relation to one of the women in the circle of six, this was one of many events they are holding in honour of these women.
The Dr. Lorna Wing talk was particularly significant because it provided a window into understanding the Autistic Spectrum and helped the audience recognise the importance of her work. Dr. Sarah Lister Brook, a close friend and colleague, gave the discussion and provided an insight into Dr. Lorna Wing’s life and contributions to the autism community.
Dr Sarah Lister Brooke described “Dr. Lorna Wing to have been regarded by professional colleagues as someone who made an outstanding contribution to autism, but also as someone who showed huge compassion for the people she wanted to help. Laura was not only a gifted scientist and a psychiatrist, but also a mother, who showed immense devotion in character help with autistic daughter Susie. “
Dr. Lorna Wing’s work changed the perspective on Autism and created the Autism spectrum which is still used today in helping diagnose people.
Dr. Lorna Wing was an ordinary woman that grew up in Gillingham and went on to the change the world.
Creative writing competitions as such, could therefore be a gateway for younger people to learn more about local heroes who had a massive impact on society. Sarah Jenkin, the Gillingham Library Librarian explained how important it is for the Medway community and most importantly its youth to get involved in these events: “I really want young people to engage with these ideas, because we don’t want people to sit back and say, that was interesting. I want people to take these ideas and engage with them. What does it mean for me? Would it impact my community? What’s the impact on the world?
It’s so important, especially now, the most common question we have is: what’s the future gonna be like? And with these talks I hope, especially the younger generation understand that you don’t have the weight of the world on your shoulders. You’re not alone and if you want to go out and make a big difference in the world. These women, they started from here in Medway and changed the world. I want people especially young people to think that they can do it too”.
Not just in Medway but around the nation, especially in light of recent social circumstances, people must allow themselves to dream and have faith in themselves
