Doncopolitan #06 - Random Acts of Kindness

Issue 06

December 2014

FREE TO A GOOD HOME

Random acts of Kindness

FEATURING: Greg T. Brown, Wheel of Hope, Greenjacker, Gifting & Northern Soul

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Contents

Contributors Writers:

Reviewers:

Warren Draper

Sound Scoundrels

Greenjacker

Gavin Clarke

Glenn Monks

Antoine Araignée

Frances Bibby

Lydia Caprani

Ben McCall

Sheila North

Paul Dyson

Dawn Cannon

Rachel Horne

Joanne Strawdale

Artwork:

Poets:

Rima Staines

Ryan Madin

Abi Nielsen

Sally Bennett

Ria Doyle

Ken Brough

Editorial Warren Draper

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Guerrilla Gifting Greenjacker

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Wheel of Hope Glenn Monks

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Greg T. Brown Frances Bibby

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Pride & Prejudice Ben McCall

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Pull-Out Rima Staines Poster Rima Staines

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Gallery Gifts -

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Unpacking A Potted History Paul Dyson -

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Mary Hart Photography:

Mike Blake

Warren Draper Cheyenne

Design:

Rachel Horne

Warren Draper

Andy Lynch

Rachel Horne

Alan Spencer Chris Blair

Editorial Team:

Azreey

Rachel Horne

Joanbanjo

Sam Walby

Earl McGehee

Warren Draper

Umberto Brayj

Rachel Ryan

Pinkyjosef

Linda Jones

Knit & Natter Rachel Horne

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The Guide -

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Word Gifts -

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Bam Morgan Rachel Horne

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Peter Tullett Pixeltoo

With Special Thanks to:

Glenn Monks

New Fringe

Graeme Oxby

Right Up Our Street

Craig Fleming

Arts Council England

Mark Lorraine

Andrew Loretto

Gavin Clarke

Doncaster Central Trust

Mark Sebastian

NOW THEN

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John Fuller

Proud to be Independent

Disclaimer

The Doncopolitan aims to provide a truly

The opinions expressed in each feature and article in the Doncopolitan are the opinions of their respective

independent voice for Doncaster. To ensure maximum

authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Doncopolitan. The editors and production team

freedom the magazine is produced and distributed by

of the Doncopolitan accept no responsibility for the opinions expressed.

a small team of dedicated individuals and production costs are met through advertising sales. If you want to fight for Donny independence then why not write for us or donate much needed time, money or equipment?

Printed by Kingsbury Press, Unit 13/Durham Lane, Doncaster, DN3 3FE. Conceived and created by

Horne & Draper art - design - publishing

Interested? Then call us on +44 (0) 7846 439982 or email: doncopolitan@gmail.com

Cover Art: ‘Balalaika’ Rima Staines - watercolour ©2005 Centre Page Art: ‘Father Christmas’ Rima Staines - watercolour ©2009 Back Page Art: ‘Feast of Fools’ Rima Staines - oils on board ©2012 Inside Cover Photography: Warren Draper ©2014

Articles and images marked with a are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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EDITORIAL Warren Draper When we decided on a ‘random acts of kindness’ theme to coincide with the season of goodwill, we had no idea how kind the people of Doncaster actually were. When we put out the question, “What is your most memorable random act of kindness?” we were completely inundated with wonderful stories. Add to these the many stories, reviews, ideas, artworks and photographs we’re sent on a regular basis and you’ll realise why we’re currently desperate for more room to fit everything in. So along with issue #06 we’re also launching our new website at www. doncopolitan.com which, among other things, features a collection of your random acts of kindness.

At the heart of these acts of kindness is ‘gifting’ - the desire and ability to give something precious to the world with no thought of recompense or return. Not that giving is ever without return. It has been scientifically proven that acts of empathy increase the brains ability to feel joy. As you give, so shall you receive.

This issue covers the work of some beautiful local charities, such as Wheel of Hope on page 11, and encourages everyone to help those in need whenever they can.

But we’re also celebrating those who give with no other motive than to create something wonderful. Our old friend the Greenjacker takes us on a tour of some of the most imaginative gifts to hit our streets (p6) and begs the question, “Why aren’t our streets more colourful places every single day of our lives?”

As usual we have some great interviews for you, from up-and-coming songster Bam Morgan to a good-looking Stainy boyo on the verge of major stardom, the one and only Greg T Brown. This issue also looks at a life which was recently portrayed by another beautiful boy, Ben Schnetzer. In his Pride & Prejudice article (page 22), Ben McCall remembers his good friend Mark Ashton, a major inspiration for the recent hit film Pride.

Our featured artist for this issue is my very good friend, the beautiful Rima Staines. Her artworks are an otherworldly gift for the eyes and you can find many more examples of her work at intothehermitage. blogspot.co.uk. Prints can be purchased via etsy.com/uk/people/thehermitage.

Joining Rima among these pages are a pair of amazing South Yorkshire stitchers, Ria Doyle (RD) and Abi Nielsen (AN) whose work can be found online at pinterest. com/frillydoyley and etsy.com/shop/ pickymiss respectively. And talking of online, don’t forget to visit our website!.. www.doncopolitan.com We’re going to be taking a break from the printed edition until March, 2015. The next issue will be themed to councide with International Women’s Day. If you have any ideas for features then please feel free to get in touch.

Talking of colour, we also take a look at some of the most beautiful and creative Donny goings-on. From the eye-candy of Donny galleries to the woollen glory of Knit & Natter, local poetry to Mexborough potters, there’s always something amazing happening, even if we’re not very good at getting the message out there.

One of the reasons we created the Doncopolitan was because we were sick of missing things that happened just a few miles down the road, so we’d like to use the new website to give people a headsup about forthcoming art, culture, music and entertainment events in the borough.

If you have anything planned which you’d like people to know about, email us at doncopolitan@gmail.com or leave a message on 07846 439982

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ABOUT This magazine aims to provide an independent voice for Doncaster. We will big up anything which has the potential to add to Doncaster’s metropolitan appeal and strengthen the local economy - or as we call it, the Donconomy. We’ll celebrate Doncaster’s culture, arts, style, music, people, fashion, lifestyle, architecture and even, its coal-black underbelly.

To remain as independent as possible this magazine is completely self-funded, relying on advertising and generous donations to stay afloat. If you would like to advertise with us, or if you’d like to support our endeavours through subscriptions or donations please call us on: +44 (0) 7846 439982 If you’re a local artist, musician, writer, photographer, fashionista, socialite or social commentator, and have something to contribute to this magazine, please get in touch.

Online: www.doncopolitan.com doncopolitan@gmail.com Write to us: Doncopolitan Magazine c/o Church View Centre Church View Doncaster DN1 1AF Social Media:

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Twitter: @doncopolitanMag #DoncopolitanMag Instagram: @Doncopolitan #Doncogram Facebook: facebook.com/doncopolitan YouTube: youtube.com/user/Doncopolitan

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7. #Doncograms - 1. “Meet William in Durban South African” by Cheyenne @taroism via Instagram ©2014 2. “Knitter” Warren Draper ©2014 3. ”Santa in Love” @Castindoncaster by @TheLudicLife ©2014 4. ”Santa at Doncaster Market” by @rachelhorne 2via Instagram ©2014 5. ““The Pick Boyos” #What’sLeft? from @FringeDoncaster @DoncasterMuseum by Andy Lynch ©2014 6. “Room with a View” by Alan Spencer ©2014 7. “Santas Sledge Push Challenge at New Bodies Gym” by Chris Blair, IRes Photography ©2014

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Guerrilla Gifting.

Greenjacker

Despite the best attempts of unscrupulous dealers (see Bloomin’ Banksy’ in Doncopolitan issue 1), street art remains among the most generous of art forms. Some artists may be seeking fame and fortune, but the act of presenting your work in such a public manner cannot help but place the emphasis back on communication, the original purpose of art, rather than mere commodity. As such you could argue that it’s also among the most immediate of mediums.

World renowned muralist Phlegm once told me that he felt one of the most important aspects of his work is the discovery; that moment when the viewer turns a street corner to find the humdrum everyday suddenly transformed into a moment of wonder, paint and grey city walls acting as a portal to the imagination. Hack the art from those walls and hang it in a gallery – or, worse still, in the vault of a private collector – and the potential for discovery is obliterated. The image remains, but its reason for existing has changed utterly, from wonder to wallpaper in three easy steps. The whole process makes about as much sense as stuffing a nightingale

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because you enjoy the beauty of its song.

Leave it in its urban environment (the street art that is, not the nightingale) and it remains charged with art’s greatest gift – the power to transform.

In recent decades, a whole host of art forms and crafts have joined the spray can and wheat paste in their endeavour to transform public spaces. From yarn bombing (using wool and knitted items to decorate public spaces) to flash mobs, street dance to parkour, every artistic discipline has the potential to create those explosive moments of joy, surprise and wonder which turn the monotony of another grey day into a lasting memory.

Advances in technology have also created new ways to transform the everyday, as well as presenting completely new opportunities for people who may otherwise have struggled to express themselves. Projection Bombing, using powerful projectors to transform the look of a public space or building, allows people to express themselves without making any permanent changes to the space in question. The Graffiti Research Lab (GRL) took this a stage further and

Article licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

developed a system which allowed a paraplegic graffiti artist to write his tag using eye movements and have it projected in huge letters on buildings via a mobile broadcast unit. GRL’s description of this unit gives us a good idea of their motives: The Mobile Broadcast Unit with L.A.S.E.R Tag System (LTS) is the latest Open Source, Weapon of Mass Defacement developed by the Graffiti Research Lab in the Eyebeam R&D OpenLab, NYC. This tactical tool allows any citizen, graff writer, artist or protester to use a projector, camera and laser to write, in real-time, on large-scale surfaces and structures from a distance of 100’s of meters away. Citizens can post their art, messages and propaganda on a scale previously monopolized by advertisers, governments, major media, and other cultural tyrants... Like previous work by the GRL, the MBU + LTS has been created as a tool to amplify the voices of everyday citizens and people in the fringe: artists, activists, pranksters and other undesirables in opposition to the dominant global cultural forces of consumerism, control and oppression.

Photography: Azreey, 2013. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported International License.

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However you feel about graffiti, it’s hard to deny the democratic nature of the art form. As the GRL point out, it is capable of giving a voice to everyday citizens.

I truly believe that my own form of street art, guerrilla gardening, takes this democracy to a whole new level. William Morris once said, “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” The guerrilla gardener takes this notion to the streets.

Not only do we create beauty where there was none, but we also provide food, and not just for humans. Here is an art form which actually transcends species. It is useful too in that it screams, “You too can do this. You too can grow your own food.”

And why stop at food? As my good friend Fenrir always says, “Gardening is a gateway drug. Once you realise you can grow your own food, it’s a small step to building your own shelter, making your own energy and even creating your own society.” And why not? Why shouldn’t we take our art to the streets and paint our dreams and desires for all to enjoy? If our actions become a seed which

inspires others to transform the streets of their towns and cities, what’s the worse that can happen? We get more colourful towns?

Whatever your passion, whatever your talent, whatever your age - take to the streets and give somebody’s day a lift with an unexpected gift. Paint (knit, stitch, dance, plant or sing) your town red (black, white, sunflower yellow or compost brown) and bring a little magic into the lives of complete strangers who will never know you to thank you. Not that you should care, because it truly is better to give than receive. If you’re unsure about that, just remember that nice guys may well finish last, but their journey is definitely more memorable.

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Photography: (above) Joanbanjo; (p7 clockwise from top) Earl McGehee, Shyguy24x7, Umberto Brayj, Pinkyjosef, Peter Tullett, Pixeltoo.

Photography on pages 6& 7 licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0. 3.0 or 4.0 Unported International License.

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Something For

The

Weekend?

We are once again looking for artists and groups to showcase their work in a unique environment where the public can interact with a wide range of performance and art forms and celebrate local creativity of all shapes and sizes- if you have a great idea, we want to hear for you.

THEATRE MUSIC

Visit the website at rightupourstreet.org.uk/dnweekend for more information and how to apply.

Words

The next DNweekeND will be animating the town centre of Doncaster 19-21 June 2015, with unique and surprising curiosities waiting around every corner.

Wonder ART Dance Technology Magic

Right Up Our Street is led by a consortium of Doncaster arts organisations and supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England until 2016

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Smiles

Wheel of Hope.

Glenn Monks Art reaches out beyond the borough.

Art is a universal language, one which opens the mind and soul alike. It is the foundation for self-expression, inspiring fresh ideas in all areas of life. Art is a bridge from the mundane to the infinite.

Thanks to a local charity, rather aptly named Wheel of Hope, this message is being broadcast much further afield than Doncaster.

Wheel of Hope Charitable Trust is the adopted charity of Doncaster Minster.

Their work stretches across South India, supporting and educating 250 children born into dysfunctional families. The charity focuses on ensuring that each child’s creative potential is realised through music, dance and art. The expression on the children’s faces is the reward local volunteers receive for giving their time to raise funds for such activities.

The chairman and trustees of Wheel of Hope are proud supporters of Doncopolitan and encourage the borough to learn more about their wonderful charity and get involved in any way they see fit.

Photography: Glenn Monks ©2014

“Our children come from broken families.

Many of them need protecting from drunken and abusive fathers. We provide a day school facility called Happy Home, which is right in the heart of a poor fishing village, not far from the rich tourist beach of Kovalam. Here we deliver valuable tuition, ensuring each child reaches their full academic potential.

Instilling confidence in this way empowers them to get involved with more creative activities, such as singing, dancing and painting. They learn about artistic greats like Monet, Turner and Van Gogh as they create a more colourful world. The children regularly put on shows for their mothers. At Happy Home, the children can leave their woes behind as they play, learn and grow.”

Due to the popularity of Indian traditions like yoga and meditation, David and Pamela, who run the charity, believe that now is the perfect time to visit South India. They invite anyone interested in visiting Happy Home, and the incredible sights and experiences that India has to offer, to get in touch.

“Our visitors have a life changing experience through what we term ‘poverty tourism’. No-one can fail to be grateful for

the life they lead after seeing the tragic lives of our children and the conditions in which they live. We provide a modern guest house for all visitors and give trips to local temples and places of historic and cultural interest. All visitor fees go towards the running and upkeep of Happy Home.”

Through the arts and sharing love, the human spirit is elevated in ways unrivalled by theory alone. If you yearn to grow beyond your individual needy self, expand and share your creativity with others, then contact Wheel of Hope. wheelofhope.co.uk wohdonations@gmail.com 01302 77113 End

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Greg T Brown

Man About Town.

Frances Bibby

Greg T Brown is a model and actor from Doncaster. He is currently pursuing his dreams in LA with his recently wed American wife Heather, who is also a model.

Back in Doncaster, he worked as an engineer and then a carpet fitter, and is now modeling and acting full time. He is best known for his signature moustache, and has a fiercely loyal fan base.

I first came across Greg T Brown back when I lived in Australia. In an attempt to

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Photography: courtesy of Greg T. Brown ©2014

educate my French boyfriend, I searched for Yorkshire accent videos online and stumbled across his channel. ‘Oh, he’s from Donny!’ I said to myself.

It’s nine months on from that YouTube search in Australia and I’m sitting in my parents’ house back in Doncaster opening Skype. I’m not catching up with the French guy - that ship has sailed. Instead, I’m interviewing Greg T Brown.

We pop up on each other’s screens and launch into conversation. Greg is

immediately relaxed, friendly and very easy to talk to. I learn that he’s from nearby Hatfield and went to Hungerhill School. We marvel at Doncopolitan and I show him a copy of the first issue, holding it up and flipping the pages slowly. Then I cut right to the chase:

How has being from Doncaster shaped your identity?

I’m fiercely proud of where I’m from.

It’s shaped me through the variety of experiences I’ve had growing up. As I’ve progressed through my years in Doncaster I’ve realised there’s more to life. There’s

different friends to be had, different musical tastes and things like that. My identity has changed as a consequence.

He explains that he’s been in LA since January 2014. His wife had to leave the UK due to visa restrictions so he came with her, and it’s been a struggle to find work.

It’s a hard life out here, honestly. It’s been a true test of my character coming and trying to do what you love in one of the most expensive cities in the world. You have to do a lot of hustling and there’s a lot of people here that will do anything they can to promote themselves, and just trample on everybody else.

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Greg with one of the inspiration’s behind issue #01 of the Doncopolitan, Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler.

Considering this, Greg is enjoying an impressive level of success in LA. He’s appeared in various adverts and commercials as well as modeling. He’s even launched a music label called All Mine.

All Mine is my music management and label that I run with another guy. All Mine manages electronic producers on both sides of the pond. We’re releasing a compilation of our artists in January, so looking forward to that.

Greg is energetic and chatty, and talking to him is like catching up with a friend, an unmistakable trait of that good old Donny charm. I imagine it’s this Donny charm that has faired him so well in LA. He’s down to earth and seems to have endless supplies of optimism. It’s impossible to dislike him. We talk about what he misses from home, mostly peoples’ friendliness and humour.

The biggest thing I miss about Doncaster is just the friendly people. There’s so much more of an affinity within your hometown, I guess. Everyone just says ‘hello’ to you, even in a grocery shop. They don’t get humour [here] […] That is what I miss so much.

I like to think I’m funny, right. I were on about fireworks to this dude just after 4th July. He were like, “Yeah, how did people even get into fireworks. Was it passed down through generations or what?” and I said, “I don’t know mate, it’s not like it’s rocket science, is it?” And he just went, “Yeah, I know,” and carried on.”

Greg gives me a deadpan stare of disbelief and shakes his head.

I were like, oh, right. Okay, so that’s that.

The north really is great for humour, isn’t it?

Banter is the word. Even me missus, she says that everybody’s so much nicer in England, in the north.

Do you think Doncaster has the potential to become a city?

I think Doncaster as a whole and from what I’ve seen from its development and the things it’s trying to include in its infrastructure - it’s really trying. There’s been a lot of effort put in by a lot of people to get that city status and I would love nothing more than to see everybody’s efforts to be… not for nothing. Trying to think of a more eloquent way of putting that but you know what I mean.

Not in vain?

Yes. Not in vain. Thanks Fran. I’m reduced here. I’m not with my intellectual peers!

We muse over the pros and cons of living overseas, finding we have this experience in common since Australia is so similar to America. We agree that there’s something about Doncaster you can’t really find anywhere else, and Greg sums this up perfectly.

Doncaster’s a nice place, ultimately.

I mean, it was 15th worst place in the country at one point, but I’m oddly proud of that.

End

https://www.facebook.com/allminela http://www.thenletsbegin.com

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MUSICAL REVIEW

The Wizard of Oz

Main Space 7.30pm

Main Space 2pm & 6pm

Sat 21 March THEATRE

PANTOMIME

Aladdin

Fri 5 December – Sat 3 January

Main Space / see web for times

INTERACTIVE ADVENTURE

The Christmas Flying Machine Fri 19 December – Sat 3 January

Second Space / see web for times

STAND-UP

Cast Comedy Club

Fri 19 – Sat 20 December Second Space 8pm

COMEDY

Withering Looks Tue 20 January

Second Space 7.45pm

YOUTH THEATRE

AN EVENING WITH

David Starkey Fri 13 February

Main Space 7.30pm

STAND UP

Cast Comedy Club Fri 13 February

Second Space 8pm

LOVESONGS

An Evening of Love and Romance Sat 14 February

Main Space 7.30pm

HIP HOP THEATRE

Open Art Sugery: Experiments in Hip Hop Theatre Sat 14 February

Second Space 7.45pm

DANCE/LOCAL TALENT

THEATRE

Eggs Collective Get a Round Fri 27 February

Second Space 7.45pm

MUSICAL

Hairspray

Wed 4 – Sat 7 March Main Space 7.15pm Sat matinee 2.15pm

DRAMA

Brief Lives

Wed 4 March

Second Space 7.45pm

FILM DOCUMENTARY

Still the Enemy Within Thu 5 – Fri 6 March Second Space 7.45pm

CLASSICAL MUSIC

Ensemble 360

Twist and Shout

Sat 7 March

Sat 24 – Sun 25 January

Main Space 7pm Sat matinee 2pm

LOCAL YOUTH THEATRE

YOUTH THEATRE

ADVENTUROUS FAMILY MUSICAL

Dream On! / I Shake My Spear at You Sir! Second Space 3pm

Horizon / Pronoun Sat 31 Jan – Sun 1 Feb Second Space 6pm

JAZZ AND BLUES

Mon 16 – Tue 17 February

Nicobobinus

Thu 19 February

Fri 20 February

LOCAL YOUTH THEATRE

Inside

Let’s Act

Second Space 7.45pm

Second Space 2pm & 7pm

Sat 21 February STAND-UP

Let’s Dance

John Shuttleworth

Main Space 7pm, Sat matinee 2pm

Main Space 7.30pm

Fri 6 – Sat 7 February

COMEDY

Sat 21 February

Second Space 8pm

Fri 13 – Sat 14 March Main Space 7pm, Sat matinee 2pm

STAND-UP

Cast Comedy Club Fri 13 March

Second Space 8pm

SPOKEN WORD

Mouthy Poets on Tour CHILDREN’S THEATRE

Main Space 7.30pm Thu & Sat matinee 2pm

Sat 7 February

Marilyn Yeardley Dance Academy

Tue 24 – Sat 28 February

Second Space 7.45pm

Rita Payne

DANCE/LOCAL TALENT

Sat 14 March

Forever Young

MUSIC

Tue 10 March

SMASH-HIT COMEDY MUSICAL

Too Much, Too Young Fri 6 February

INTERNATIONAL DANCE

Main Space 7.30pm

Main Space 2.30pm

DANCE/LOCAL TALENT

Second Space 7pm

CHILDREN’S THEATRE

Main Space 7.30pm

Thu 5 February

Mon 9 – Wed 11 March

Main Space 2pm & 7pm

Old MacDonald Had a Farm

THEATRE

Into the Woods

Ultima Vez

The Big Chris Barber Band Sat 31 January

Second Space 7pm

HIP HOP THEATRE

Second Space 7.45pm

Room On The Broom Mon 16 – Wed 18 March See web for times

An Audience with Rationale

Donna Disco

Second Space 7.45pm

Second Space 7.45pm

Tue 24 February

THEATRE

Thu 19 March COMEDY

EASTER PANTOMIME

Back to Broadway

The 56

Sat 21 March

Second Space 7.45pm

LOCAL YOUTH THEATRE

Stagecoach Showcase Sun 22 March

Main Space 7pm

THEATRE

The Mist in the Mirror Tue 24 – Sat 28 March

Main Space / see web for times

THEATRE

The Life and Loves of a Nobody Wed 25 March

Sun 12 April VARIETY

The Good Old Days of Variety Tue 14 April

Main Space 1.30pm

COMEDY DRAMA

Thick as Thieves

Thu 16 – Sat 18 April & Thu 23 – Sat 25 April

Second Space / see web for times

DANCE / LOCAL TALENT

Dance, Dance, Dance Fri 17 – Sat 18 April Main Space 7pm, Sat matinee 2pm

JAZZ

Second Space 7.45pm

Stacey Kent

THEATRE

Main Space 7.30pm

Secret Diaries Thu 26 March

Sun 19 April THEATRE

Second Space 7.45pm

Waiting for Stanley

ALBUM LAUNCH

Second Space 2pm & 7.45pm

Sun 29 March

Swanhunter

Dennis Rollins’ Velocity Trio Cast Café Bar 6pm

CHILDREN’S THEATRE

The Cat in the Hat

Tue 21 April OPERA

Fri 24 April

Main Space 7.30pm

JAZZ

Main Space / see web for times

The Ronnie Scott’s Story

STAND-UP

Main Space 7.30pm

Thu 2 – Sat 4 April

Cast Comedy Club Fri 3 April

Second Space 8pm

INTERACTIVE CHILDREN’S ADVENTURE

Sat 25 April

GOTHIC HORROR FILM

The Caligari Experience Tue 28 – Wed 29 April

Main Space 7.30pm

Emergency Story Penguin

Stewart Lee

Second Space / see web for times

Main Space 8pm

Mon 6 – Fri 10 April

DANCE/LOCAL TALENT

Cre8tive Dance Academy

STAND-UP

Thu 30 April

CONTEMPORARY CIRCUS

4x4

Fri 1 May

Mon 6 – Tue 7 April

Main Space 7.30pm

COMEDY DRAMA

Madame Butterfly with Perpetuum Mobile

Main Space / see web for times

Bouncers

Thu 9 – Fri 10 April

Main Space Thu 7.30pm / Fri 5pm & 8.30pm

MUSIC

Joe Longthorne Sat 11 April

Main Space 7.30pm

One Man Breaking Bad Fri 20 March

Main Space 7.30pm

BALLET

Thu 21 – Sat 23 May Main Space 7.30pm

CHILDREN’S BALLET

Elves and the Shoemaker Sat 23 May

Main Space 12.30pm & 2.15pm

SOUTH ASIAN FESTIVAL

Alchemy Sat 6 June

Main Space / see web for times

01302 303 959 castindoncaster.com

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Cast, Waterdale, Doncaster, DN1 3BU

SMASH-HIT MUSICAL

Avenue Q

Tue 7 – Sat 11 July

Main Space / see web for times

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Pride and Prejudice.

Ben McCall Once upon a time there was a lad of 22, from inner-city Liverpool, living in North Wales. He was young, idealistic and unemployed.

Just up the road, towards the dark mountains towering above Llyn (lake) Ogwen, the slate quarry workers in Bethesda had been on strike for the longest in British history. Three long years, hard to imagine. That was back in 1903, but some people there still refuse to live in a ‘scabs house’ generations later.

This was 1984 and the miner’s strike was beginning across the UK. Reader, that lad was me and I was planning to launch myself headlong into one of the most fantastic years of human interaction.

The excuse for reminiscing this time is the film Pride, based on the formation and life of Lesbians & Gays Support the Miners (LGSM). Spoiler alert: film content discussed!

The early 1980s were a very politically charged time. Maggie T had ascended the throne in 1979, single-handedly won the Falklands War and another general

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election in 1983. Describing Nelson Mandela as “a terrorist”, Jimmy Saville was a regular house guest; then she picked on the miners. Many of us thought “great, Ted Heath tried this in the 1970s and it brought his government down, we can do it again.”

Thus began the epic struggle. From nowhere up pops a bunch of poofs and a coupla dykes daan in Landun, who want to help their hetero bros and sisters in West Wales. Both gays and miners are being picked on by the police, press and right-wing politicians, so should support each other. That’s how the film starts, but of course boys and girls the reality was somewhat different.

My friend Ray Goodspeed, who I got to know in 2013, was one of the founders of LGSM. By then he had been in a Trotskyist sect, Militant, for nearly ten years, but left during the strike “…they didn’t support or even acknowledge LGSM and had a very dismissive position on gay rights.” He was a consultant for the film and appeared as an extra for 1.5 seconds.

Photography: images from the New Fringe ‘What’s Left’ exhibition by Andy Lynch ©2014

In 1984 I was a member of the Communist Party and my comrade Mark Ashton, another of the founders of LGSM, was leader of the CP’s youth organisation.

As Ray says, in a recent interview about the film, “A meeting was called at Mark’s council flat … of the eleven people who started LGSM, we were all either Trotskyists, communists or very close friends of communists. But it’s also true that in a very short time we sucked in people who absolutely weren’t.” (in Dear-love-of-comrades-rememberinglesbians-and-gays-support-the-miners: rs21.org.uk)

The most disappointing thing about the film, and a sign-of-the-times we are currently in, is that the makers and/ or financial backers thought that any more than a fleeting reference to politics would either put people off or go over their heads. But left politics was central to the times and the strike; it cannot be understood if this is ignored or downplayed.

Sitting with friends in the multiplex cinema as the film began, I had not done my homework, so didn’t realise that the ‘star’ of the film was Mark. As this became apparent, I dissolved into a confusing mixture of emotions: anger at the hollowing out of the politics, nostalgia for the amazing spirit of solidarity that memories of the strike evoked, love and sadness at the memory of so many great people I met, worked with and got to know – some of whom have died in the three decades since.

A mate of Jimmy Somerville, singer in Bronski Beat and The Communards, For a Friend, which ends the film, was written for and dedicated to Mark, who died of AIDS in 1987. “Summer comes and I remember how we’d march / We’d march for love and peace, together arm in arm.”

Ray again: “Mark died, yes … if you thought the Gay Pride march in ’85 was moving, you should have seen the funeral.

There were miners and miners’ wives sobbing. His death was like a stake in the heart, even for people who disagreed with his politics. There was something about his character – it’s portrayed so well in the film.”

Mark would be so pleased at being played by a gorgeous and brilliant actor (Ben Schnetzer). He was so cool he didn’t have to act it. Warm, welcoming, generous – most people automatically warmed to him, even political adversaries like Ray: “I’d have walked to China over red-hot coals for Mark Ashton. I loved him beyond words. The comradeship conquered the political disagreements.”

As Peter Frost remembers (Morning Star 11.09.14) Mark “was many things, but he was first and foremost a communist. He never hid that fact … the film doesn’t mention [ apart from a brief heckle “commie” ] what was one of the most important factors that guided and inspired Ashton in all his actions.”

Despite its weaknesses, Pride is a great film. Frost concludes: “It will make you laugh a lot and maybe cry a little, but crucially it will inspire you to action – and that is the only legacy Mark Ashton would have wanted.”

now for seven years, wondering how we can once more persuade people that it is worth standing up for each other, supporting causes against the odds and working with people to make good things happen.

End

Ben McCall works for Doncaster Central Trust CIC, owners of Church View.

‘What’s Left’, the exhibition by the Doncaster New Fringe featured in the photographs which accompany this article, features the work of eight artists and explores the aftermath of the 1984 miners’ Strike. It is on at Doncaster Museum & Art Gallery until 4th January, 2015, with the intention to tour former pit villages in our area next year. pridemovie.co.uk

Thirty years on, that lad from Liverpool is writing this in Doncaster, his home

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ŠRima Staines 2014

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IVE 22

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Gallery Gifts.

It is often argued, quite rightly, that Doncaster needs a new dedicated space for the contemporary arts (are you listening developers?.. there’s money in it, just ask the Tate Modern), but until that dream finally becomes a reality we should not ignore what is already there.

Despite the recent sad demise of the BrevonArt Gallery we still have a number of venues in town displaying high quality and thought provoking work on a regular basis. So why not check them out? Here’s a few to be going on with...

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Doncaster Museum & Art Gallery Chequer Rd, Doncaster, DN1 2AE 01302 734293 The Point 16 South Parade, Doncaster DN1 2DR 01302 341662 Church View Church View Centre, Doncaster, DN1 1AF 01302 376837 The Mac Gallery 12A South Parade, Doncaster, DN1 2DY 01302 590005

Photography: Warren Draper, 2014. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Unpacking a Potted History.

Paul Dyson Mexborough Concertina Club 26th November 2014 Imagine this - a room full of poets, a pair of prolific ceramic artists in a scene reminiscent of the film Ghost and an 80s rock legend, all hosted in an intimate little back street club. This crucible of creativity is exactly what an eclectic audience in Mexborough were gifted with at the Concertina Club in November. Right Up Our Street, the Doncaster-based community arts group tasked with engaging local people in the arts, presented Unpacking A Potted History, an evening of pottery, poetry and participation here in Mexborough town.

Ceramicists Adele Howitt and Sarah Villeneau provided a number of pottery workshops in the town throughout the year, creating pottery and shards, chatting with people and recording pottery history and stories from the area. These memories were shared with international poet Sally Jenkinson, who created poems inspired by these living words and stories collected from the people of Mexborough. The poems were included in a free booklet on the night, where we had the privilege of hearing Sally performing them. Sally currently lives in Bristol but grew up in Doncaster and still retains her local accent.

Sally arranged a piece of crowd writing, each of us supplying a few words and thoughts on Mexborough, which were crafted into a poem she read out later that evening. The event was compered

by Mexborough’s Pitmen Poets MC, Tony Goodwin, who kept the evening on track with his characteristic style of prose.

Next up the Saxon rock legend Graham Oliver gave a comprehensive talk on the local history and heritage of the 18th century pottery industry in the town.

Graham, an authority and enthusiastic collector, had brought with him many pieces from his private collection of ceramics and fine-ware from this period.

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His talk carried us back to the days before temperature controls, before ovens, into an era of trial and error, telling us how the ceramics were handmade and decorated in the days when pottery was made by the local craftsmen and artisans of the day.

Adele and Sarah, our ceramicist hosts, gave the opportunity for us to participate in creating a piece of pottery of our own.

A potter’s wheel was placed centre stage where volunteers could get hands-on with the clay. I couldn’t resist. The clay was damp and clammy, malleable, smooth but gritty and smelled of dank earth, the soft medium becoming an extension of my own hands. Some of my earlier attempts looked rather phallic, but with perseverance and a little help I managed to create a ceramic piece that vaguely resembled a vessel. I don’t think Grayson Perry has anything to worry about just yet. The evening closed with Tony Goodwin and the Pitmen Poets reading a selection of locally inspired works.

A generous round of applause rightly followed this skilfully crafted evening.

The audience left enlightened, feeling more connected with our local heritage and artistic past. A truly entertaining event, and not a single air guitar came out all night.

End

The pottery created throughout Unpacking A Potted History will be on display at the Doncaster Museum and Art Gallery from March 2015.

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Photography: Graeme Oxby ©2014

Knit & Natter.

Rachel Horne The force of wool and knitting needles should never be underestimated.

Take the ladies of St John’s Hospice in Balby, a mix of volunteers and patients in partnership with the Soroptimist International who have made over 100 brightly coloured jerseys for babies in Ethiopia. This international knitting project is known as Fish & Chip Babies, as when the babies are born they are wrapped in newspaper. Another project includes knitting premature baby hats for the new born babies at Doncaster Royal Infirmary and Lincolnshire Hospital.

There are many similar projects throughout the borough, from the knitting of baby hats for premature babies to knitting blankets for AIDS orphans in Africa.

Knitting itself can be a great social pastime - although sometimes the natter can get quite risqué, as our photographer, Warren Draper, found when he visited the Knit & Stitch Knit & Natter group recently - which is one of the reasons that knitting has made something of a revival in recent years. It also helps you concentrate and is believed to be a fantastic stress buster.

Even some high flying business men are taking up the needles, according to Liz Knight owner of Knit & Stitch.

Liz’s business has expanded rapidly.

Growing from a small independent company in Maltby, she now has a shop in Doncaster Market Place and York city centre. Each of her shops offers knitting and craft classes and the aforementioned community-orientated Knit & Natter groups, where anyone is welcome. As our photographer can testify, there is a warm,

friendly atmosphere and more than a few raunchy laughs. Warren had such a good time that he’s trying to get Wednesday afternoons off work so he can visit more often. He’s even thinking about starting a Knit & Natter class for dudes.

Watch this space!

Find more about St John’s Hospice here: stjohnshospicedoncaster.co.uk Knit & Stitch’s ‘Knit and Natter’ is Free every Wednesday: 1.00pm -3.00pm knitandstitchonline.com Cask Corner & Dive Bar run their own ‘Bitch & Stitch’ every Tuesday gigs@caskcornerbar.co.uk

Photography: Warren Draper, 2014. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

End

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The Best Service & The Freshest Food

We select the best locally sourced produce we can find and design our menu around our daily shop so that we can guarantee that you get the finest food possible.

Papacass’s Kitchen, 10 Wood St, DN1 3LH OPENING HOURS: Mon - Fri, 8:00 am - 3:00 pm facebook.com/papacassskitchen

@PapacassKitchen

MUSIC GUIDE

ThE DUNWELLS

original LIVE MUSIC

The Dunwells / Ginger Tom Band / Sleep Junkies Diamond Live Lounge, Wood St, Doncaster, DN1 3LH 21st November, 2014

Free Music Session & Development Forum Monday December 29th, 7.30pm Ukrainian Centre, Beckett Road, DN2 4AD

The ‘jewel in the crown of Doncaster’s live music scene’ is what this venue aimed to be when it opened in June this year, and it’s definitely on its way. The building keeps its history - the huge arched windows and tall ceiling from when it was a church gives the place real character. It’s a magnificent place to be in, especially to watch a live gig. At the back of the building there is a curved balcony with a massive circle window which takes your breath away and has the best views of the entire floor. The bar is sprawling and the service is fantastic. You’re greeted with wide smiles and humour. There is some good seating - I managed to claim a sofa at the back - and the overall atmosphere is very welcoming.

The Roots Music Club, specialising in live acoustic, folk, roots and blues music, has been a part of the Doncaster live music scene for a little over a year and has made great efforts to bring very high quality bands and artists that might not ordinarily come to town. There have been many successful weekly gigs at our home venue, the Ukrainian Centre on Beckett Road, with artists coming every Friday from all corners of the UK, New York City, France and the Southern States of the US.

The opening band was Sleep Junkies, a three piece with a crisp, organic sound. The two guitarists have soothing harmonies and their tunes are light and soft - a nice opening to the night. The drummer is unique in that he sits on a box and hits it with his hands to bring in a beat that is soft to accompany the smoothness of the tunes. This band would be more comfortable at a house gig or a small and intimate venue to show off their full acoustic sounds. ‘On My Way’ is their defining song - memorable lyrics and a nice tune that I could easily listen to on the radio. I hope to hear more from this band.

Next were local band Ginger Tom Band, who have played at the Little Theatre before as a duo, and this time played with their band. As a duo they have some catchy tunes and their EP is definitely worth getting your hands on, but as a band the same songs have more power and they really filled the entire venue. They are getting a real following in Doncaster and have gigs lined up in London, Wolverhampton and Dewsbury next year. A group of chirpy chaps, they are very likeable and have a lot of charm and personality that will help them get even further.

We now want to raise more awareness of our concerts, ‘take the temperature’ of the local live music scene and better serve the gig going fraternity of Doncaster by holding a free open forum, where current and potential audience members can come along, enjoy a free concert and contribute to an open discussion to discover how Roots might better serve them, musically and culturally.

Please come to the forum and help us do what we do better. Audiences, potential audiences, musicians, singers, promoters - please feel free to join the event.

Doors 7.30 pm – Live Music 8pm Open discussion/forum 8.45pm – Live Music 9.45pm Times are subject to musical flexibility.

Call 07939 148603 for details. www.rootsmusicclub.co.uk

The headliners were The Dunwells, an explosive band that I expected to be a lot quieter. Their songs are hard hitting and the band is full of energy, running and jumping around the stage as the singer roars into the microphone. The Dunwells pack some punch and the crowd loved it. They have a long list of gigs lined up throughout 2015 and are building a strong following as they get ready for their UK tour. With their powerful stage presence and an army of fans behind them, expect to see their name printed more often.

Sound Scoundrels @sound_scoundrel - Twitter www.soundscoundrels.wordpress.com (Photo Credit: Mark Lorraine ©2014)

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Music GUIDE

jam on sunday

BENEFIT GIg

Every alternative Sunday at the Sprotbrough Country Club, DN5 7SD Next Sprotbrough Jam Session is on the 14th of December.

Benefit Gig for Multiple Sclerosis Cask Corner Cleveland Street, Doncaster, DN1 3EH

“Shall we go to the live music afternoon Jam on Sunday at the Country Club in Sprotbrough?”

The weekend had been pretty foul weather-wise, so on consideration a visit to the Cask Corner on Remembrance Sunday seemed like a bleak prospect. Well, the weather brightened up and so did my mood, so I ventured out to catch this all-day event to raise funds for, and awareness of, the debilitating illness multiple sclerosis.

Not something you thought you would hear. Live music in Sprotbough? At the Country Club? Maybe you thought Sprotbrough was just a quiet little village in Doncaster with nothing going on. Holding live music events?

Shouldn’t it all be member’s cards, tweed and annual shooting outings?

Well no, quite the opposite.

For a year now the very hip and trendy Sprotbrough Country Club has been holding a bi-monthly live music event called Jam on Sunday, concocted by owners Janine and Paul, who have owned venues in Sheffield and seen some huge bands play at them - Arctic Monkeys, for one.

9th September, 2014

Walking in at 3pm, intent on catching the first act, what I found were two men, a ladder and a faulty speaker. The PA had broken down but a replacement was ushered in and 15 minutes later, the show began.

It’s impossible to critique each act here - there were 13 in total - but the day was split in two, the first half comprising solo acts, duos and bands that were largely acoustic, while from 8pm we got mostly electric with various beatists on drum rota.

Jam on Sunday was invented to be exactly what it says on the tin - a jam session for musicians and music lovers. I went down to the latest session and was amazed by the real variety of talent that got up on stage. One duo turned up with a huge bass and enchanting vocals which captured the whole audience.

All performers gave their time for free, which is obviously praiseworthy, but it’s clear to see they were chosen on merit, entertainment value and contrasting styles. Lovely. That the Cask Corner is a lively and vibrant place anyway is a given. Almost from the start people came and stayed and the atmosphere was pure joy.

Throughout the afternoon, many different acts got up on stage. Not all had a lot of experience playing in front of a crowd and for some it was their first time, but the whole crowd got behind them.

One act that really stood out was a family who come along every week, with a young boy called Mason taking to the stage to perform on his guitar and sing along with it. Everyone in the room listened attentively as he played and erupted into applause as he finished giving his own twist on lots of classic songs.

The day went on, each act superseded the last and the room filled up in no time at all, so it felt more like a party. The MS balloons around the raffle table did nothing to dispel that impression.

I was surprised to see many of the returning acts sticking around after the jam session had finished for drinks and to string together a few chords and have a sing together. Not only did this continue at the Country Club, but many of the acts and Janine and Paul themselves all invited me to go to the local Indian restaurant’s just a stone’s throw away. We sat around a large table, enjoying our food, and everyone erupted into song again. The whole day had a warm, inviting feeling that made me wonder – why didn’t I know about the music scene in Sprotbrough?

Antoine Araignée

Moving on to said raffle, I clutched my handful of tickets awaiting numbers to be called. I could have waited till the cows were cocoa’d and slippered but still left empty handed, save for the tightly clutched, uncalled tickets. They raised £168 for charity, so a job well done.

(Photo Credit: John Fuller ©2014)

Gavin Clarke

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Media GUIDE

cosy Cinema

Writing for Radio

The Cosy Cinema Presents: Northern Soul The Concertina Club, Mexborough, S64 9AZ 6th November

Book It! on Sine FM

Four days into my internship and I got to see what Right Up Our Street is all about. I arrived at the Concertina Club to set up The Cosy Cinema’s upcoming event alongside the arts supporter for Mexborough, Dominic Somers. Empty, the venue reminded me of sleepy, familiar social clubs back home in Hull, and for a moment it was hard to picture a lively communal gathering. One screen, two speakers and plenty of re-arranged seating later, I was proved wrong as the guests started to arrive. They were eager. The first couple of people through the doors weren’t regulars coming in to settle for the night with a routine pint - they were here for the film early and had managed to get there before the barman and DJ had even arrived.

The film was Elaine Constantine’s recent release, Northern Soul. Set in 1974, it follows the story of two Northern boys and their discovery of black American soul music, capturing the youth culture of the time. It was humorous, insightful and nostalgic for some of the attendees. The shared interest (and laughs) in the film contributed to the night’s success, but also contributing were the attention to detail and additional flourishes, which made it into an event, rather than just a film screening.

The guests were greeted with their very own free Northern Soul patch, customised with a Yorkshire rose and the name of the club. These proved popular, with one lady stopping by to collect some for her enthusiastic son, who couldn’t make the event. A special beer was on offer too, Long After Tonight is Over, named and brewed by barman Andy. Most importantly though was Tony the DJ, who played soul before and after the film.

I had to catch a train home and missed the end of the film (luckily sparing the gathering from witnessing my attempt at dancing), but I thoroughly enjoyed what I did experience because that’s exactly what it was: an experience. As the lights went down and we began to watch together, you could sense the communal atmosphere, far beyond that of a normal cinema, as this was small, uniting and, well, cosy.

What do Roy Clarke of Open All Hours, best-selling novelist Joanne Harris and Katie ‘Jordan’ Price have in common? They’ve all appeared on Book It!, Doncaster’s local radio programme about books and writing.

When local author Stephanie Cage and I visited Sine FM back in 2009, we were looking for some publicity for Doncaster Writers, a group which still meets at Central Library. Thanks to some smooth talking by Sine’s Jon Kelly, I found myself signing up first for one of Sine’s taster courses, then the regular presenters’ course.

Book It! went on air in January 2010. Stephanie, who is a published romance writer, was my first guest in the author spot of the show and local writer Phil Baker read one of his stories. The programme also features book reviews and, for the last few years, the library spot, featuring news of upcoming author and other events at Doncaster library services.

I’m always looking for new writers for the story spot of the show. If you write entertaining, short fiction of approximately 2,000 words, please contact me at sheila@sinefm.com. Depending on how comfortable you are with reading aloud, you can read your story or I can arrange for someone to read on your behalf.

Book It! broadcasts at 10 am on the last Saturday of every month on Sine FM. You can listen to Sine in central Doncaster on 102.6 FM or online at sinefm.com. Programmes are held on podcast and can be found on the Sine website.

Sheila North (Photo Credit: Mark Sebastian ©2014)

Lydia Caprani, Right Up Our Street community arts intern.

The next Cosy Cinema screening is Whistle Down The Wind at Concertina Club, Thursday 4th December from 7pm.

(Photo Credit: Right Up Our Street ©2014)

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Life GUIDE

DOnNY MARKET

Rough SLEEPERS

Many of the older generation say the market’s not what it was, considering that in 2011 & 2012 it won “Britain’s Favorite Market” as voted by the public. Plenty of celeb chefs know of it, even Anthony Worrall Thompson has been noted to say “ I wish there were more markets like Doncaster”.

In the not-too-distant past, on Christmas Day in 1987, a rough sleeper died from the cold whilst sleeping in a public toilet near Doncaster Market. After this incident, Mick Nurse and Charlie Jarvis, a voluntary adviser for the Unemployed Workers Centre, discussed how it was such a shame that the man had nowhere to go and keep warm. By Christmas 1988, Mick and Charlie had opened a Christmas Café and a sleeping station, so people had somewhere to go during the festive period.

From this the charity Doncare was formed, which helped rough sleepers throughout the year and went on to do some fantastic work supporting vulnerable people across Doncaster.

I love the interaction you get with the traders at Donny Market and that fact that this very Market has exisited since Medieval times when peacock and blackbird were on the menu.

On a recent visit I noticed that fishmonger maestro, Colin Wilson, proprietor of N. Rouse, had a page of the Doncopolitan issue two pinned to his chiller at the back of his stall. He said a friend had passed it on to him as the artwork by Emily Rowley depicted a naked fish monger. As our conversation unfolded it turned out that in 2008 Colin he and a group of Doncaster’s finest market men took part in a naked calendar shoot to raise money for local charity, Blue Bellwood. To my amazement, the month of December depicts Colin hiding his manhood behind a large fish.

(Please check out the Doncopolitan website for a full feature on this story www.doncopolitan.com) There’s so much on offer - game dealers, bakers, butchers, cheesemongers, green grocers, beautiful cakes and sweet shops. The outdoor market is a treasure trove of gems too the comic book, the retro toys, homemade fudge and the art shop and gallery. The outdoor market has some amazing haberdashery stalls selling fabrics, wool, threads. A great place for presents for crafters.

It is estimated that at any one time there are eight rough sleepers in Doncaster, and the legacy of projects like Doncare and the hard work of the staff and volunteers at M25 mean that there is warmth, shelter, guidance and support for those in need this Christmas.

Whilst in the Corn Exchange, I can’t help but also wander round Which Craft, I’ve seen this business grow over the last 3 years, expanding to take on empty units selling beautiful papers, ribbons and tools for card and paper crafters. They also run regular workshops and have a thriving community of makers that hang out there.

If you would like to help the homeless this Christmas, the Rough Sleeper Team is in need of sleeping bags. You could also offer your time as a volunteer for the project. If you would like to give a gift to a homeless or vulnerable person, check out the Christmas Shoe Box Appeal on Facebook.

After my shop at the market, I also love to pop into the surrounding independent business - the Mason’s Arm’s for mulled wine round the fire, tea and Seabrooks Crips (made in Yorkshire btw) at Marketplace & Alehouse & Deli, not forgetting a coffee and a chocolate brownie at Siciclunas aka Jose’s Deli. In fact, the last time I was there a coach party was visiting the Market. Judging from their accents they were from the North East.

Joanne Strawdale

So seriously people, the market stands strong, don’t forget to support this gem in the crown of Doncaster.

Dawn Cannon

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In 1994, M25 was established. Growing from humble beginnings, it now offers a range of services to help those in need. The Rough Sleepers Outreach Service works with those who are living on the streets, giving support, accommodation and advice, and working with the government’s ‘No Second Night Out’ policy. This means anyone sleeping rough will be given accommodation the same day. The charity can offer supported accommodation and assist people in finding their own homes, helping service users with housing benefit advice via their drop-in sessions. There is also a dedicated Young Person’s Debt and Housing Adviser, which gives young people who may have run away from home and be sleeping rough for the first time the chance to get back on track.

Market Days -Tuesday, Friday & Saturday Antiques & Second Hand - Every Wednesday

(Photo Credit: Alan Spencer)

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Word Gifts

ANGELS EVERYWHERE Angels everywhere and I feel so small.

This pocket in my chest seems to be made for them all.

But it’s only your hands that have ever seemed to fit.

Because its always on my left hand side you tend to sit.

You never seem aware but what’s a boy to do.

I always try to tell you when I’ve had more than a few.

Your eyes never seem to wonder into my owns path.

And I never have the guts to say, or even just to ask.

I’ll drop a sly remark about the way you flick your hair.

Try to brush away how much I really do care.

And it hurts you know, to see you with someone else.

But nothing that I do ever seems to help.

So I shift your weight onto my right hand side.

And I’ll try to brush you off of the front of my mind.

But your roots grow deep and what more could I do.

Where else can I go, when I’ve seen the world in you?

Ryan Madin is an up and coming writer and poet based in Edenthorpe.

A Candle We moved into the cottage On a freezing winter day.

No light, no heat, no way to cook a meal.

The nearest house was half a mile away Across the white-out fields.

The trees on the horizon Were bent back against the wind.

A blackbird sang above the frozen brook.

We huddled in the bedroom With a quilt across our knees.

We knew the dark was coming soon.

The torch was weak, the batteries almost dead.

Framed by the window a winter moon Shone on the sterile landscape.

The first star appeared.

Suddenly we heard a knock – A loud knock on the cottage door.

We’d heard no footsteps And no sound of a car.

Nothing disturbed the snowy night.

He went downstairs cautiously.

I waited and waited upstairs.

He came back smiling, holding in his hand A huge church candle which we lit.

It lasted till the dawn.

Sally Bennett is from Doncaster and is currently a student at Sheffield Hallam University. Her first poem appeared in Points North Magazine.

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Word Gifts

THe Solider

ON STRIKE It was the middle of the strike.

We were standing at the braziers every day.

The coldest winter everyone had said.

We’d stamp our feet and warm our hands, Sing songs, tell stories, anything To keep out the biting cold.

Everyday this woman hurried past, Head turned away, ignoring us, On her way to the posh houses on the hill.

Stuck up cow! Somebody said As she went walking by.

We didn’t care if she heard or not.

All we cared about was the cold And getting our pit opened once again.

The policemen sent to keep an eye on us

A read about the Civil War That happened in America More than a hundred years ago.

I read about a fatal charge Some soldiers made in the snow.

I read about the way they died In front of a stone wall.

Heaps of them were laid there overnight Wounded and unable to move.

No man’s land was a terrible place to be.

But one Confederate soldier Took pity on them there.

He left his gun behind the wall, Went out between the lines And gave water to the wounded.

There was nothing more that he could do.

But the firing stopped on both sides Until he’d done his task.

The men called him The Angel of the Battlefield.

Mary Hart lives in Doncaster. She has attended several writing groups and workshops in the area. This is her first published poem.

Were eating well and drinking mugs of tea.

They laughed at us out in the cold With nothing to sustain us but our jokes.

One bitter morning snow began to fall.

It fell onto the pit-head and the slag heaps.

The ‘stuck up’ woman that we’d shouted at

KINDNESS

Was coming down the road.

She brought us roast potatoes And a flask of scalding tea.

Kindness comes in many forms.

It doesn’t have to be seen.

Think of the kindness of nurse, The kindness of a mother.

Think of the kindness of a child, A sister to a brother.

Small acts of kindness multiply.

It’s best when no money is involved And when the people are unknown: One stranger to another.

It was the best meal of my life.

Ken Brough is a retired miner and lives in Mexborough.

Mike Blake lives in Sprotborough.

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BaM Morgan.

Rachel Horne Bam Morgan is an up-and-coming singer songwriter destined for greatness. He can be found playing open mic nights across Doncaster. We decided to catch up with him to get to know his story and what his hopes are for the future.

How did you get started on this crazy journey?

When I was 15-16, I was living on the streets for a while - run away type situation - and I found myself in Sheffield. I had a bit of money that I’d saved up for a while. I’m not an idiot - not gonna run away without money. I had about £50 left, so I went for some dinner and while I was eating it dawned on me that I now only had £45ish left, so by my calculations, I only had money for another nine meals.

Not much. I couldn’t get a job or anything and I’d die before I begged. I saw this guy busking with a box - what I now know to be a cajon - and I thought, “Hah, I can do that,” so I went to Argos, bought the only guitar I could afford, and, leaving me no money left, I practiced and practiced for two days straight, just to learn anything I could play. I guess me being young and at least trying got me some sympathy. The rest is history. It wasn’t very good at the time but I’d do it all again.

You used your creativity in a time of adversity. It’s really inspirational. Explain how your style has developed over time.

Right, so I started playing... well, nothing - just notes while I was busking - but by the time I was back home I had figured quite a bit out. I had no idea what chords were what, but I could play them from sound. So basically I played whatever I could play. I messed around with the chords I’d figured out till I recognised a song in them then learnt that song. This is when I found out about tabs. Tabs - the holy grail of the beginner wannabe guitarist.

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At about 17 years old I got into electric guitar and got pretty good. In four months I’d learnt every solo to every Guns N’ Roses song. The quality of me playing them is not something I can remember, but my mum was impressed. Then I broke the guitar by dropping it out of my bedroom window and went back to acoustic. I can’t do solos on an acoustic. I don’t get how people do. So I learnt songs by Fallout Boy, Secondhand Serenade, Brand New all those types of bands. Then Jason Mraz came into my life and changed everything.

He’s probably saved my life a few times and he will never know.

You recently performed for Britain’s Got Talent at the Cask Corner open mic night hosted by Jim Taplin and absolutely smashed it. How were you feeling on the night? We saw you chatting with BGT scouts after you performed. How did that go?

Well, it’s not the first time I’ve auditioned, and I didn’t really play as an audition.

I’ve applied and performed four times on BGT and three times for X Factor. This time I just treated it like any other Cask Corner open mic. The entire concept of the programme baffles me. There are so many amazing people that go to audition and get turned away, while people that clearly only go through for comedy reasons are made stars. It’s ridiculous. I get that they have to make it entertaining, but that doesn’t explain why a great performer gets turned down and a middle-of-theroad singer gets put through.

You’ve got a lot of fans in Doncaster.

There was a lot of love in the room for you at Cask on the night.

As soon as you make the effort to play, you seem to just be taken in by everyone there. People ask you to come back, they want to see you again, and Julie, everyone’s second mother - she must have a

craving to take in strays, cause she will bend over backward to help someone she can help. I have never met a person more deserving of success in my life.

On the night I didn’t really play just for the BGT folks, but it was nice that they took notice this time. Funnily, the woman that was there did my last audition and said ‘no’.

What are your thoughts on the music scene?

The Doncaster music scene is a force to be reckoned with. I have been around and I’ve never seen anywhere with so much variety, but at the same time everyone is on the same page. No-one does it for money here. It literally is just about the music and making sure everyone is having a great time, and it really does show. I’m happy I stumbled upon it and got the chance to be part of it.

What are you working at working at the moment?

I’ve just launched a Kick Starter to raise £500 to get my EP out there. In the next couple of weeks I’ll have four brand new original songs coming out to download online and a physical EP as well. The EP is called Bam Morgan. It’s going to be available on over 600 online music stores, such as iTunes, Spotify, Amazon - all that jazz - and the physical copies are mainly going to be with me when I play gigs.

I’m trying to get a few gigs but not too many, just to let people know that this is happening. Once I can find some money to get the CDs copied I’ll be doing more gigs to get ‘em out there. I play at OTTO Wine Bar in Sprotbrough on the first Thursday of the month from 8pm.

I’ve heard you think your music is lucky…

All my music is created by luck. There were so many tiny things that, if they happened a little differently, I wouldn’t have made the music I make, or any music for that matter - if I’d not seen the man with the cajon on the streets of Sheffield, if I’d not run away in the first place, if I’d only had £30 and couldn’t afford a guitar.

It’s strange to think that if I’d had a bigger meal that day, I might not be a musician.

End

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