Two weeks ago I was at Curve Theatre in Leicester, reading extracts from my children’s book, ‘Songster – Loughborough’s Own War Horse.’

It was during the run of War Horse, the awesome theatre production of Michael Morpurgo’s book of the same name.  The Hero Project’s Famous Fifty exhibition were on display in the foyer areas at Curve during the run and as part of that, we were invited to entertain the audience both before the show and during the interval.

Hence me reading snatches of ‘Songster’.  Leicestershire-based poet Georgie Lorimer also performed, sharing some of her own poetry and that of others.

The Hero Project’s Deana Wildgoose read a poem from ‘Fifty Good Men and True,’ the book by Michael Kendrick about the first group of British civilians to join up to fight in the First World War.  The men were from North-west Leicestershire, predominantly miners and engineers, and during the session there was time for me to interview Deana about her decision to commemorate the soldiers with her popular community art project.

Altogether, the sessions went extremely well and I was overcome with the positive response to my part in them.  I certainly think that Songster’s story complemented Mr Murpurgo’s tale rather well!