The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) is a project launched in 2004 by UNESCO to promote cooperation among cities which recognized creativity as a major factor in their urban development. The cities approved have all met the required criteria set by UNESCO covering: Quality, quantity and diversity of publishing in the city Quality and quantity of educational programmes focusing on … More UNESCO Creative Cities Network
D.H. Lawrence is celebrated at the D.H. Lawrence Birthplace Museum in Eastwood Located in the house where he was born in 1885, the exhibition has been laid out in the style of a late 19th-century working class miner’s house. The museum extends to the house next door which houses a short film, a small exhibition of his memorabilia and the … More Visiting the birthplace of D.H. Lawrence.
Our coach rumbled along the long driveway, past the remains of a 12th century Augustinian priory, coming to a halt in front of a large impressive house. Stepping off our transportation, we were greeted and led inside to a stone staircase. In days gone by we would have climbed the stairs outside the building, but they … More A Special Guided Tour Of Newstead Abbey
This blog is taken from a newsletter I wrote in 2015 telling the story of how I came to be standing on the balcony of the Mansion House with the Lord Mayor of London as he took the salute at the Remembrance Day parade. ….And that is how I ended up on the balcony of … More Remembering Leonard Thirkettle
A group of us visited the Tank Museum, Bovington, which has over 300 vehicles including the world’s first tank and the infamous Tiger 131. The tank was a British invention that changed warfare for ever when it was introduced in the First World War. Rudyard Kipling visited Bovington in 1923 and, after viewing the damaged tanks that … More The Tank Museum, Bovington
Due for release in the UK on 10th August, Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero is a 2018 computer-animated adventure film about the real-life Sergeant Stubby, a stray Boston Terrier who becomes a hero during World War I. Although the film credits state that the characters in the film are fictitious, the film follows the actual actions of the dog and includes real people involved … More Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero
The Yorkshire Sculpture Park features around 80 sculptures and installations to see in the open air. The other year we joined a group visit to the park. Some of the works are still on display, but Not Vital’s exhibition ended in 2017. Henry Moore Henry Moore was the first patron of the Yorkshire Sculpture Park. He … More Yorkshire Sculpture Park
Back in 2015, we were invited to attend the 800th celebration of Magna Carta at Runnymede. In addition to the celebration and the plaque unveiling by Her Majesty The Queen, the Duke of Cambridge attended the dedication of “The Jurors”, an art installation to celebrate the Magna Carta anniversary. Now there is a … More Magna Carta-inspired art at Runnymede
Are you fed up with “not available in your region” messages? At a time when “Fake News” is everywhere, we need proper journalists passing on verified news. So I’m a bit put out that actual news is being withheld, as if I’m living under some dictatorship or in some autocratic state. I used a number … More Where has the world gone?
There was a time, not so long ago, that air travel wasn’t an option and the only way to travel was by sea. The V&A Museum has a new exhibition “Ocean Liners: Speed and Style” It shares the design stories of the world’s greatest ocean liners, including the Titanic, Normandie, the Queen Mary and the Canberra. Find … More Ocean Liners: Speed and Style