Pen to Print

July 2026 Writing For Perfomance with Kelly Jones When: 4 July, 10-11.30am Where: Barking Learning Centre & Online Book Tickets In Person: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/pen-to-print-writing-for-performance-class-tickets-1672790955779 Book Tickets Online: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/cc/regular-online-classes-4740083 Creative Writing Class with Ian Ayris When: 4 July, 12-1.30pm Where: Barking Learning Centre & Online Book Tickets In Person:...

Edited by Molly Ovenden Welcome to July’s Showcase: Nostalgia! I am Molly Ovenden, a contemplative poet. Vintage Smith-Corona typewriters in tow, I write poems for people in public. From silly to serious, poetic requests are commonly rooted in nostalgia. Perched in pubs, cafes or food pantries, nostalgia is crucial to my regular practice. Requests could be with grief remembering a loved one, or joyous childhood recollections.

Write On! interviews author Fay Noble Fay says, “I’m a Dagenham girl, born and bred, but now live in Leigh on Sea. I’ve never had any creative writing training, but from childhood I enjoyed writing letters and composing short stories. Always, in the back of my mind, was the ambition to be a ‘proper author’ and to write a novel. In retirement, I’ve found the time to fulfil that dream, and my debut novel, The Extra Sausage, was published in December 2025.

By Claire Buss, Deputy Editor, Write On! At Write On! and Pen to Print, we want to help connect authors and readers, playwrights and audiences, so we’ve created a Spotlight page on the last Saturday of the month, showcasing some of the exciting new reads and plays available. The curated list is based on books and plays that you send us, so if you’re an author or a playwright and you’d like your book or play in the spotlight, reach out to us at pentoprint@lbbd.gov.uk.

Write On! 29, sponsored by London Writers’ Salon is out today. Our Summer issue explores the theme of ‘Borrowed’: We inherit more than we realise: stories, traditions, languages, landscapes and ideas. Some are passed down deliberately; others arrive quietly through culture, community and experience. As writers, we constantly draw upon what has come before us, borrowing voices, influences and fragments of history as we seek to understand ourselves and the world around us.

Edited by Gloria Maloney Welcome to my final Showcase for June. On this page, we look at different ways we borrow from time. Time is a precious commodity often freely given to help others and, in doing so, we enrich our own lives. ***** In our first piece, Martin’s gives us an insight as to how CanalAbility has borrowed time from him (and others) to help with the smooth running of their charity. CanalAbility Hi, my name is Martin and I am one of several people who volunteer at CanalAbilty.

Write On! 29, sponsored by London Writers’ Salon is out today. Our Summer issue explores the theme of ‘Borrowed’: We inherit more than we realise: stories, traditions, languages, landscapes and ideas. Some are passed down deliberately; others arrive quietly through culture, community and experience. As writers, we constantly draw upon what has come before us, borrowing voices, influences and fragments of history as we seek to understand ourselves and the world around us.

By Fiona Campbell, founder of Wee Movers Picture a group of six-year-olds standing in the middle of a library. They have just heard a poem, something about a fox moving through the dark. Now they are asked a question: “How do you think the fox feels? Can you show me in your body?” And they do. One child crouches low, arms tucked tight, eyes darting. Another stretches tall on tiptoes, chin lifted, daring. A third spins slowly, arms wide as if sniffing the air. Every single child is different.

By Afsana Elanko Welcome to my last month for editing Thursday Connectors, where I explore borrowing from nature; thinking about variety and change. This made me think about the marginalised communities, disabled and those voices that are not being heard. How do they manage in society? I found groups that work with disabled individuals turning to nature to get inspiration and strength.

Edited by Gloria Maloney Hello, and welcome to my penultimate June Showcase. We’re looking at the theme ‘Borrowing’ from nature. (c) Elm Tree by Gloria Maloney, 2026 I would like to share with you my experience of a bushcraft day I attended with my local U3A group a few weeks ago. It brought me to a deeper understanding and connection to nature, with respect for the environment.