Susan Tate’s Year – October

There are 3 big projects going on in the library calendar this month.  The whole of October is ‘Black History Month’.  This year we have decided to focus on 3 19^th century women. Mary Prince, an abolitionist who wrote her autobiography recalling her life as a slave in 1831.  Sara Forbes Bonetta was the ward of Queen Victoria and interestingly died on the island of Madeira, a favourite holiday destination of my parents.  And Mary Seacole, a nurse and businesswoman who worked with the sick during the Crimea war.  There will be displays, talks and specially selected books, biographies, and autobiographies.  Several local schools are involved, one is putting on a play about Mary Seacole.

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We also have ‘National Libraries Week’, one of the highlights of our year, where we promote the various activities and services we provide.  A chance for us to show off all the things the library does within the community.  All sounds rather grand when I write it down here.  The other day we listed all the activities done at the library: one of my favourite has to be Charles Dickens day when we come in dressed up as characters from his novels.  Long gone are the days when it was just books, magazines and newspapers.  Yes, we still have these but much, much more.  Beth is on the case promoting us through social media.  During this ‘National Libraries Week’ we are going to concentrate on adult literacy.  A few months ago a couple came in needing to use the internet.  Malcolm was helping them, at first we thought it might just be the screen and something to do with their eyesight. But no.  It became apparent they could not read.  It made us all wonder how many other people leave school or arrive from another country unable to read, were out there.  Falling through the cracks.  It isn’t something you can ask is it?  Malcolm did some research.  Did you know 1 in 6 adults in England have very poor literacy skills?  That is 7.1 million people (16.4% of the population). As a country we should be ashamed of this statistic.  We have organised some basic literacy sessions during ‘Library Week’.  Our couple came, they were shy and very hesitant at first but by the end of the week they were signing up for future classes we found for them run by Kent Adult Education.

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The auction house has a couple of new valuers’ vacancies.  Derek and I discussed at length last week whether he should apply, it would be a step up for him.  Derek WhatsApped me at lunchtime to say he has an interview, he hasn’t had a job interview in his entire life, he went straight from school to helping doing odd jobs at the auction house.  That was ten years ago.  Dad has offered to help him prepare.

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Tomorrow is the 3^rd event this month in the library: ‘National Poetry Day’.  It seems like only last month we had ‘World Poetry Day’.  Actually, it is 7 months ago, a lot has happened since March!  I found my old school poetry book.  There were pencil notes in the margin on the Keats and Wordsworth pages.  Confession, I don’t remember any of them, but I do remember Wilfred Owen.  What does that say about me, that I can remember World War One poets?

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It’s that time of year, Charlotte emailed to say choir practice will start this week in preparation for the Christmas Concert and Carols on The Green.  Last year it was snowy and icy and I slipped over, didn’t break anything but gained a nasty set of bruises on my backside. Charlotte has sent round the proposed programme for the concert, usual carols plus a new piece by an American composer, I can hear the old guard muttering ‘ultra-modern, untuneful, impossible harmony’.

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Rang Derek to wish him luck at the interview tomorrow, he sounds really nervous.

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Another message from Uncle Harry left on my answer machine ‘Scones or cake, which best?’  It would appear he has invited a fellow Cruciverbalist, a woman, to tea to discuss the intricacies of 2 across versus 14 down or something like that and wanted to know should he have scones or cake.  Why on earth does he ask me and not Hillary?  I suggested a packet of chocolate digestive biscuits.

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Derek phoned me on my way to work.  I don’t think I’m supposed to answer the phone while on a bicycle but perhaps a tricycle doesn’t count.  He got the job promotion. I was so excited I swerved and nearly hit a passing white van.  We’re going to celebrate.  Some people would offer to cook a special meal, not me, it wouldn’t be special.  I took Derek for dinner at The Goods Shed on Friday.  It might not have been the most glamorous restaurant in Canterbury, but it uses fresh ingredients from the market and the food tastes delicious.  We walked back to Derek’s flat, I have to say the stairs were a bit of an effort after so much rich food. Derek said the team at the auction house was planning a celebratory drink, but I wanted it just to be the 2 of us.  I know my family and Beth know about Derek, I’m not sure if Malcolm has twigged, but I don’t know how many at the auction house know.