update, 2011:
No longer a mere BBC comedy producer,
Gareth is a published poet!
His delicious rhyming children's book
The Big Animal Mix-Up
(with illustrations by Kanako Usai)
was published by Hodder in 2011.
I'm a writer and producer, making comedy shows on the radio and tv including
That Mitchell and Webb Look and Sound, Vent and Bleak Expectations. I've
written a picture book for the under 5s called The Big Animal Mix Up, about
getting stuff wrong about animals. And I'm on Twitter as garethmammal. The
BBC think I ought to tell you that they don't necessarily agree with everything
written in this blog, although they do agree with this sentence.
(bio, 2006) Gareth's latest project , producing That
Mitchell and Webb Look -- which starts 14th of September 2006 at 9:30
p.m. on BBC 2. That Mitchell and Webb Look is a new comedy series
written by and starring David Mitchell and Robert Webb of Peep Show
(Channel 4), That Mitchell and Webb Sound is also produced by
Gareth on BBC Radio 2.
Gareth abandoned a promising career as a lazy graduate student for the lucrative
world of Fringe Theatre in 1989. After two years of subsidising transit van
hire by working in a sandwich shop he gave up this glamorous life for a job
at BBC Radio Light Entertainment as a trainee producer, a fantastic job which
led to him to producing over a hundred episodes of Week Ending, as
well as working on Goodness Gracious Me and many hours of other scripted
comedy and panel games.
He left in 1996 to join Humphrey Barclay at LWT where he produced a late
night satire show "Stuff the Week" and the first series of the Bafta
nominated Spaced for Channel 4.
He rejoined the BBC as a TV and Radio producer in 1999, and since then he
has produced Dead Ringers, Posh Nosh and TV to Go for
BBC TV and many radio series including Parsons and Naylor's Pull Out Sections,
That Mitchell and Webb Sound, The Bigger Issues and The Little Big
Woman. He also writes scripts, including his series Artists on
Radio 4.
INTRODUCTION FROM THE DISABILITY FILM WEBSITE:
http://movies.groups.yahoo.com/group/disabilityfilm/message/908
SHOW US YOUR SHORTS!
YouTube videos featuring the Purple Poets
SHORTS:ONE - co-production.
Diwali Lights by Purple Poet Islam Molla. This project
was inspired by a film workshop and talk given by BBC Producer
Gareth Edwards at the 2006 National
Poetry Day Celebrations, which included the screening of short films
made for the BBC by Rushey Green Time Bank Poets Bee Harris and David Neita.
In the workshop, Gareth enthusiastically discussed approaches to filming
poetry, and encouraged everyone to create films of their own.
The Purple Poets' first YouTube project was filmed April 23, 2009, and is
a co-production with Cally Road Time Bank broker Kirsty. Click on other
films by Kirsty on her YouTube site, after you've heard Islam read his poem
- Kirsty's own films are wonderful (and so are her links, including the very
useful one that shows you how to make solar panels from beer cans).
SHORTS TWO-(contributors)
2009 National Poetry Day screening, Camden Town Hall.
Purple Poets contributed poems to Wellcome Trust Artist Jo WOnder's second
stage of her 'Ophelia' project. Poems: Ophelia, this is your mother
by Bithi Das; Ophelia (the person you are calling) by Kim
Morrissey.
ART and
Poetry-in-Progress
' Six Days Good-bye Poems to Ophelia'
- film and bacterial painting by JoWOnder
www.jowonder.com
Day Four with poems first
shown at the Purple Poets' Camden Heroes
National Poetry Day Celebration
Camden Town Hall
October 8th 2009
VIDEO PROJECT THREE:
submitted to RIDLEY SCOTT 24/7 project 2010
footage by Kim Morrissey, Josie Nakos and Kirsty Burns,
compiled and edited by Kirsty Burns
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlBhujTaUdA
Glastonbury Time Banking UK Annual Meeting
- including a poem by Bithis Das
introduced by Martin Simon
founder, TimeBanking UK
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlBhujTaUdA
-- this YouTube (24.07.2010) was recommended on the webpage
http://wn.com/Michou_7
On 24 July, Timebanking UK held its Annual General Meting in Glastonbury.
Timebanking is about give and take: it is a way to measure and value all
the different kinds of help and skills we can offer each other. Everyone's
time is valued equally whatever they do: we all have 24 hours 7 days a week
and each hour you help someone else or the community equals one time credit.
The AGM was hosted by Avalon Fairshares, and this film features a walk up
Glastonbury Tor and a poem by Bithi Das .---Michou.
Participants interviewed for this film came from West Euston, Stroud,
Paxton Green (Crystal Palace), Bridgwater, Rushey Green, Peckham HOur Bank,
South London & Maudsley, Highbury, Caledonian Road & Hilldrop, Stirling
& staff from Timebanking UK. www.timebanking.org Filming by Purple Poets
Kim Morrissey & Josie Nakos. The Glastonbury Tor walk 'seven-step time
lapse' & film-editing by Callytimecat/Kirsty Burns.
My mother worked in a sweet shop
And every Friday she brought me
My special treat. Fuller's Chocolates .
Round with bits of purple and red
Square nougat, sugared almonds
Walnuts covered in Dark and Milk
Chocolate. They were just there
Every Friday when she was paid.
One Friday my mother forgot
I remember screaming
Kicking and crying
"Where's my bloody chocolates"
And being put to bed without supper.
The next Friday she came home
With more glossy, shiny,
Gooey chocolates.
Glossy, shiny, creamy,
Milky, syrupy-sweet
Smearing on the hands and face
Of a five year old
Melting in my mouth.
Patsy Futatsugi first performed this poem with the Purple Poets
at the Cumberland Market Festival, Cumberland Market,
at 2 p.m. on the Main Stage on July 29, 2006.
Ang Bayan Ko [(written by José Corazón de Jesús,
1929.The unofficial anthem of the Philippines]
Ang bayan ko Philipinas
Lupain ng gintot bulaklak
Pag-ibig ng sa kanyang palad
Nag=alay ng gandat dilag
At sa kanyang yumi at ganda
Dayuhan ay nahalina
Bayan ko, binihag ka
Nasadlak ka sa dusa ...
Ibon mang may layang lumipad
Kulangin mo at umiiyak
Bayan pa kayang sakdal dilag
Ang di nag-nasang makaalpas
O! Pilipinas kong minumutya
Pugad, ka ng luha at dalita
Aking aghika -- ang ...
Makita kang-sakdal laya.
My Country
[a new translation of "Ang Bayan Ko"]
by Eppie Caredda 15.02.2007
My country the Philippines
Land of Honey, Tropical Flowers and Gold
Love permeates its heart.
Which brings panoramic beauty
And amazing grace.
These niceties captivate many strangers
That may be why they had to stay so long.
Even more than a hundred years.
Oh my beloved country, the Philippines
Was held hostage and enslaved in hardships for so long.
Like the chirping bird that craves to fly
Without limit. Cage it
And it will surely cry.
What more will this beautiful land endure.
Will it not also aim for a boundless Liberty?
Philippines my beloved
Lair of struggles and tears
My only dream for you
Memory For Ever:
Playing Musical Chairs
With the Mayor
(for Jill Fraser) by Bithi Das
10.06.2007
Jill Fraser. The distinguished person
With a distinguished name. 'The Mayor of Camden'
It was a sunny summer day, 2006
I was asked to join Family Sport Event
By the Boys of Surma Centre
Regent's Park
It came in my mind
The Mayor is coming to
Open the event! I came and waited
For her to arrive.
A big car came, and there she was:
A beautiful Lady in her pink
Salwar Kamiz - Indian outfit. The Lady Mayor.
She was surrounded by people
Who wanted to greet her.
In due course
The Event started.
There were many games
Mostly for children.
I was asked to join the game
For the grown-up ladies
Called Musical Chair.
Jill joined too.
Jill and I stayed side by side.
It was the moment when we became
Just like children trying to secure our seats.
But we didn't win.
Soon Jill and I were out.
But during our play, I saw Jill's face
A little girl, enjoying her past
Forgotten days.
Bithi Das was inspired to write this poem after Jill Fraser,
Mayor of Camden,
opened the London Time Bank 2006 National Poetry Day Celebrations
(Diorama Gallery Euston Square, West London).
BITHI DAS Aria's Scientific Experiment:
A Five Minute Ice Cream
(for Aria Sen, who is only ten)
POETRY ON A PLATE
summer inter-generational project
21.08.2009
You scream
I Scream
It is little Aria's
Scientific Dream.
A five Minute Ice Cream.
In a bag
Mix the chocolate, sugar and cream
Put the mixture
In a salty- ice rim
All goes in our purple box.
THEN
Shake your arm
Shake your ass
Don't worry
It won't smash.
Five minutes gone
The ice cream is done
Now the time to test
Oh - Yes
It is one of the best!
for the full recipe, and more recipes, go to
www.purplepoets.com/cook.html
A Short note about Michael G. Noonan:
Michael has worked in financial services, consulting and retailing in the
UK, Japan, Middle East, Switzerland and China. Michael was a member of UBS
for 14 years and has worked in financial and retail institutions in the UK,
Japan, Switzerland and Turkey. He is currently acting as an Organisational
Development consultant for arts organisations, educational organisations,
audience development agencies and county councils around the UK. Other
non-executive roles include: Chair International House and International
House World Organisation, Trustee and Director to Arts Worldwide; Trustee
London East Aids Network; Vice Chair/Trustee to the Performing Rights Society
Foundation; Trustee to Beaconsfield Contemporary Arts Trust; Trustee to the
Entelechy Arts Trust; Trustee Poet in the City.
http://www.ihlondon.com/about/ih-trust/international-house-trustees,238,ART.html
ARCHIVES 2006 NATIONAL POETRY DAY
Diorama 4 Art Gallery
3-7 Euston Centre
Regents Place, London
NW1 3JG
THE PURPLE POETS HOSTED THE
2006 LONDON TIME BANK POETS
READING WITH GUEST POET RICHARD PRICE
Special Guest Speaker
(Norah Platt Prize) Rose Hacker
Special Workshop Guest Gareth Edwards
"BBC Video:
Show Us Your Shorts"
Special Reader: actor
Emily Jewell
other
projects
.........................................................................................................................
Time Banks and Time Banking
The Four Core Values.
1. We treat people as assets.
We support the positive actions people can
and want to do for their community.
2. We are re-defining work
Regardless of the task,
everyone's time is valued equally
we value whatever it takes to make
neighbourhoods safe and vibrant.
3.We reciprocate.
We require that everyone gives something back
ensuring all in our society have the opportunity
to be involved in their community.
4. We support the development of social networks.
These require ongoing investments of social capital
generated by trust, reciprocity and civic engagement.
Our Writer-in-Residence
Kim Morrissey
The Purple Poets Poetry Workshop
was founded in 2005, as part of a project involving
13 London Time Bank poetry groups,
funded by the Lottery Grant, and supported by, amongst others,
The Arts Council, The Carnegie Trust, Bridge City Trust,
The Third Age Project, West Euston Time Bank
and the new economics foundation.
The Purple Poets formed the Bloomsbury Time Bank in 2010,
affiliated with Time Banking UK (Stroud).
25.07.2011
BLOOMSBURY TIME BANK
PURPLE POETS
c/o Flat 18 Chenies Street Chambers
Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7ET
contact: poets AT purplepoets.com
secretary: Ferdous Rahman
rahmanferdous AT hotmail.com
Patsy Futatsugi 1 