Harbledown Hope

Presented by children’s author Andrew Bullerwww.andrewbuller.com @ABullerAuthor

Writing WorkshopSt Clementin, France, June 2016

Part 1

Bonjour!

Andrew Buller• Author, Illustrator, Designer, Consultant,

Speaker• Author of children’s book series ‘The

Rhymers’• Volunteer at Catching Lives – use creative

writing and arts skills to enable and inspire clients

www.andrewbuller.com

Catching Lives

• Independent charity supporting rough sleepers, homeless &

vulnerably housed in Canterbury & East Kent

“Our vision is of a society where all are included and all, no matter how

disadvantaged, can make a contribution. ”

www.catchinglives.org

Litfest Project• 2 year EU funding with partners in Spain,

Italy, France• “Enable clients to express their thoughts,

feelings and emotions through art work, photography, animation, film, poetry, drama

and short story writing”• Long-term vision way beyond this funding

• Key aims of the project:Create, Enable, Inspire

Making a MaskActivity

Which mask will you choose?

Q: What masks do we hide behind?

Our Writing Journey…

• The Blank Page• Anything goes• Everyone & every idea

valued

Brainstorming Ideas

Favourite ThemeThe Urban Fox – but why?• “We can identify with it”• Link with previous artwork• Freedom of animal voice

Work by Ann Marie• Produced the first fox

print for Catching Lives map

• “The Fox’s new talents – my new talents”

• “Writing helps me make sense of things”

• Shared at creative writing workshop Oct 2015 – huge boost to self-confidence

Becoming The Fox

Q: Why can our community relate to the urban fox so well?

Activity

Brainstorm:What emotions may

an urban fox feel?

Words – Emotion - Art

HelpVulnerableAloneNeedJusticeEqualityRespect

MisunderstoodMistreatedRoamingScavengingVictimisedAbused

Harbledown

He is one of us!

Storyboard• Fox hunt

• Parents of fox killed• Fox rescued by kind dog• Journey to Canterbury

• Arrive at Greyfriars shed• Animals try to feed fox

• Fox close to death• Mother dog feeds fox• Hope of future for fox• Caring father figure

revealed

Animal Characters - Characterisation

Fox - survivorWeasel - evil

Squirrel - nutty

Badger - dependable

Rat - greedy

Dog - fierce Dog - rescuer

Seagull - crazy

Character DevelopmentActivity

Describe your chosen

character

Fox’s Journey – Walk in Our Shoes• Jimmy & Keith - talent & knowledge incredible

• Story locations linked to walk• Important places to homeless community

• Walk part of 3-day EU Litfest

Photographs of story locations

On Location - GreyfriarsIn search of the animal’s

shed – representing Catching Lives

A hound, lost from the disappearing hunt, appeared from the thicket. It spied Biggles. Its hackles rose. It spied the fox. It smelt blood.

Instinctively Biggles secured the fox tightly in his jaws and set off, the hound in hot pursuit. He knew where he must head, downhill into the swirling mist.

Biggles leapt forward down the steep slope, pushing his way through tangled brambles and fallen branches, ripping at his smooth fur coat. The flints along the pathway cut into his paws, leaving a trail of bloodied prints behind.

The hound scented fresh blood. He knew this terrain well and was gaining all the time, baying savagely. Every twist and turn that Biggles made, was followed intently by the pursuing hound.

Within the jaws of Biggles, the young fox drifted in and out of consciousness. “Where am I? What’s happening? Why don’t they just eat me now?” The fox let out a shivering whimper.

Biggles felt the fox’s pain and distress, which momentarily distracted him. He failed to see the approaching jagged branch.

Fox’s journey to Canterbury – the chase 1

Isolated farmhouses appeared through the gloom and disappeared. Bomb craters potted their path, mangled machinery loomed up and the muddy track led them to a tarmac road. Blacked-out houses showed the way.Suddenly Biggles froze. His tuned-in ears heard the heavy breathing of a foe. He was unable to go forward so silently reversed, straight into a metal dustbin, sending the lid clattering down the street. A snarl confirmed the hound’s presence, but Biggles dashed straight toward him, taking his enemy by surprise, but not for long.The chase was on, twisting blindly through winding alleyways, into ruins and over the twisted remains of shattered lives. Should he hide in the churchyard? Biggles wanted rest, but the hound was on the scent and still smelt blood. Into the darkening skies the giant city walls loomed up and the ancient West Gate that welcomed strangers in. A little boy, standing in the shadows, with a half-eaten bag of aniseed balls, looked on in horror at the approaching animals. Aniseed was the flavour no hound could resist. His sensitive nose reacted and brought him to a halt. A snarl was all that was needed to send the boy, running home, empty handed, crying for his mother.Biggles, seeing his opportunity to escape, turned and plunged, headlong into the river.

Fox’s journey to Canterbury – the chase 2

IllustrationsEncourage as many as possible to get involved

Harbledown’s Wall

The story’s beginning…Harbledown

Hope

I cowered; the drift of leaves my disguise, my refuge, my escape from the madness. Blood ran from my open wounds, mingling with the autumn colours.I hadn’t seen the tangled wire web and its rusted thorns as I scrambled for cover.My torn body shuddered. The pain was unbearable.

Blood-curdling barks, the piercing horn, echoed through the early morning mist. I was terrified, my heart pounding.From my hiding place at the edge of the wood, I looked across the meadow to see my parents pressed to the soaking grass, nowhere to go. They exchanged fear-filled, knowing glances. Thundering hooves were getting closer. The ground rumbled menacingly. The roar of the hunt was deafening.Through my tears I saw two flashes of fiery red leap up, straight towards the onrushing hunt.“Mum! Dad! Why? Don’t leave me!”Their terrified eyes turned to meet mine, but for just one last time, as the hounds’ teeth closed in.Mum and Dad were gone. I was alone.My eyes filled and closed. They didn’t want to see anymore.

Harbledown Hope’s beginning…

To come…

• Complete the story, illustrate & publish

• More books – Harbledown’s series

• Much more written & art work

Final thoughts…• What talent within our clients

• What a positive use of time

• What development of new skills

• What an inspiration to others

We Create, Enable, Inspire

Au revoir

Merci