Michael Morpurgo comes to Wedmore

Hay Festival, London, Wedmore… The Wedmore Arts Festival staged a coup thanks to Hay Festival connections. I saw the world famous author of War Horse, Michael Morpurgo, give a talk as part of the local festival.

Asking questions after Michael Morpurgo's talk

Michael Morpurgo is one of Britain’s best-loved storytellers. I relished the opportunity to hear more about his work. He shared how he puts a story together with an enthusiastic audience ranging in age from 7 to 80. Some stories take 3 months; others can take 25 years. He weaves different experiences, anecdotes, facts and fiction together.

He went into detail on the various elements that came together to create The Butterfly Lion. It all started with the purchase of a second-hand book from a shop during the Hay Festival. He had been reading Chris McBride’s book on white lions on the train. He looked up to see the Westbury White Horse carved into the Wiltshire hillside.

A boring dinner party provided a fascinating, true World War One story about some circus animals. Then, he was stuck. He knew nothing about lions. He met Virginia McKenna of Born Free fame in a lift by chance one day. Now, he had his source for information about lions.

The story was still missing a voice. That voice came from his own memories of running away from school as a child. Now, the elements were all in place to write the story.

And where does Michael Morpurgo do his best writing? At a desk? No. Standing up at a lectern? No. In bed. Just like in a picture he saw of Treasure Island author, Robert Louis Stevenson. It’s by far the most comfortable place. You can even take a nap if you need one. Dreams can help.

One child asked why does the author write so much about wartime? Because all around him when he was growing up people were grieving about lost loved ones in the Second World War. He told how he used to get scolded by his mother for staring at a family friend whose face had been badly burnt in the war. He later wrote the story and sent it to him. The man replied that he remembered and appreciated him as the boy who looked at him. Others always looked away.

How did he start writing? It evolved. As a teacher of Year Sixes, he used to read other people’s stories at the end of the school day. He started creating and telling them his own stories. 130 books later and still writing…

There were many fans both young and old in the audience. A show of hands revealed that a surprising large number had read lots of his books. We were all urged to read more. The story of a ghost king and the local football team is on the way. Can you guess which king and which football team provided the inspiration?

Michael Morpurgo also spoke fondly of the Farms for City Children charity that he founded with his wife Clare. The village children perhaps could not imagine how lucky they are to live in the countryside with animals all around. War Horse was inspired by observing a badly traumatised boy who had lost the ability to speak. Yet, the words tumbled out as he stroked a horse on the farm. There is an unspoken connection between people and animals that can run very deep. Over 90,000 city children have now benefited from visiting the 3 farms.

The farms are an additional legacy to Michael Morpurgo’s life’s work.  His great talent is in making wartime events accessible to today’s children. Through his books children can understand the significance of events long before they were born. They can see the importance of remembering and respecting the sacrifices. And the importance of continuing to say ‘Never again’ to the next generation.

Wedmore War Memorial, St Mary's Church

Dahl's Centenary at RHS Cardiff

A wicker BFG at RHS Cardiff

2016 is an extraordinary year for literary anniversaries. It's not all about Shakespeare and Cervantes. Cardiff is celebrating the centenary of the birth of the famous author Roald Dahl. Roald Dahl's children's characters featured prominently at the Royal Horticultural Society's Cardiff Flower Show. We were barely inside the entrance before we saw the towering figure of Dahl's BFG made out of wicker (left).

Roald Dahl was born in the North of Cardiff, the capital of Wales. His parents were Norwegian and he was baptised in the Norwegian Church in Cardiff Bay.

Dahl-inspired Pure Imagination Garden

One of the show gardens was called Pure Imagination. It was inspired by Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It was a surreal representation complete with chocolate pond. It captured something of the storyteller's wonderful imagination. 

The best Roald Dahl-themed show contributions came from local children. Local nursery schools, primary schools, Beavers, Brownies and various other children's groups transformed wheelbarrows to represent their favourite stories. Show visitors were given counters to vote for their favourite wheelbarrow. It was extremely difficult to choose.

My elder son chose the Enormous Crocodile (left). It brought back fond memories of bedtime stories when he was younger. He now towers over me - not as tall as the BFG, but pretty tall nonetheless. 

We remembered how he used to love the ending when the enormous crocodile gets sent spinning off into space. 

Roald Dahl wrote great stories that are still capturing children's imaginations. 

My younger son always loved listening to Roald Dahl's stories. He liked James and the Giant Peach, Fantastic Mr Fox and George's Marvellous Medicine. He loved that the wicked grandmother got her comeuppance in the latter.



Not every child finds reading and writing easy. Reluctant readers and children with early learning difficulties often appreciate Roald Dahl's stories. If they grow to love the stories through other means like artwork and gardening, it is much easier to motivate them to read the books afterwards. Fresh air and improving hand strength for writing are added bonuses.

James and the Giant Peach Wheelbarrow

Not only was Roald Dahl an inspirational storyteller, his own story is inspiring for such children.  It now seems incredible to think that Roald Dahl's teachers did not think much of his writing skills. Their comments were cruel. Yet, he went on to become one of our best-known and best-loved authors.

I thought it was a great idea for the RHS to host such a competition. It combined literacy skills and gardening. The children had obviously put a lot of thought, work and love into their wheelbarrows. Capture them young. I'm sure that early interests in reading, the environment and gardening never go away.  They certainly didn't in my case. 

Moorlands Primary School's entry complete with a Norwegian flag and Dahl's writing hut

After a great start to the RHS Show season, I am now looking forward to the Chelsea and Hampton Court Flower Shows. Tickets already booked.

RHS On Tour Bus ready for the next show

Karen Andrews runs
Anglicity Ltd. She is

an English copywriter 

and digital marketer

with Welsh roots.

She loves gardening

and visiting gardens.

For further information see
Anglicity's website