Creative Writing at Hoy Heritage Centre






On Friday 12th August I had the joy of visiting Hoy for a creative writing workshop held in the Hoy Heritage Centre. Hoy is always a delight to visit, even in the rain, and even the short boat journey across from Stromness is something to be anticipated with pleasure, as you never know who you will meet. On this occasion I got talking to a lady who admired my Judith Glue runic cardigan (which I have had for over twenty five years and is still wearing well).

The writing workshop was led by Stromness based poet, writer and musician Yvonne Gray, who encouraged the participants to write haibun and haiku - haibun being short prose poetry combined with haiku - inspired by Hoy. This included our own experiences of the island and also using pieces from the Heritage Centre display, which gave a fascinating insight into Hoy life.

It was great to meet up with old friends, as well as making new ones and I think everyone would agree the day was stimulating in a creative sense and also highly enjoyable. My thanks to everyone involved in the organising, especially Rebecca Marr and Yvonne Gray.

Afterwards it was a showery walk down to the cafe before the ferry back to Stromness.

My thanks now to Rebecca Marr who writes on behalf of the Hoy Heritage Centre: 

Hoy Heritage Centre is situated at the foot of Ward Hill in the Hoy Kirk. The community bought the building a few years back and run it now as a venue and heritage centre. Inside artefacts speak of the building's past life - the pulpit is reputed to be made from wood off a Spanish Armada wreck, and the pewter communion plates date back to when the congregation met at the Old Kirk, a medieval ruin near Bu sands.

Packed shelves hold folders of information on an eclectic array of subjects, each folder started by an interest of one of the 40 or so residents of the parish: a folder on shipwrecks, one on eagles, another on the Dwarfie Stone, Hoy weddings, the Old Man of Hoy, the Rackwick School, the history of Hoy Post Offices. Another shelf holds a collection of a hundred or so natural history books, the gift of naturalist Effy Everiss. 

The centre also holds changing exhibitions. This year the focus is on the remarkable story of William Sinclair Ritch and his life and family in Hudson Bay with his Cree wife and his return some 40 years later, when his brother and he did not recognise each other. Lives, times, stories, all held for safe keeping.


The Heritage Centre is also available for private hire.

www.hoyheritage.co.uk


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