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patriciafostermckenley.com – Page 8 – Professional Poet, Life Coach, Educator, Artist – Runs Workshops, Gives Reiki & Wellbeing Training

patriciafostermckenley.com

Professional Poet, Life Coach, Educator, Artist – Runs Workshops, Gives Reiki & Wellbeing Training

Page 8 of 9

Poet, Writer, Performer & Educator Patricia Foster – LIVE on Croydon Radio, Monday 12th August 2013, 12 – 1pm GMT

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If you are free Monday 12th August, afternoon, 12 noon – 1pm GMT, tune in to Croydon Radio online on www.croydonradio.com, where you’ll be able to hear me live, talking to Sonia Thomas about my poetry, writing, workshops, education and training work and other projects I have coming up. I’m really excited!

Feel free to shout out and leave messages by logging in to Croydon Radio Shout Box: http://www.croydonradio.com/shoutbox

You can also follow the show on Twitter on @croydonradio

More updates soon!

Patricia Foster

2Inspire Academy ‘Inspire The Youth’ FREE Summer Programme: Monday 19th August – Friday 30th August 2013, 2pm – 5pm. @ The Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust- from Patricia Foster.

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I am pleased to share that I will be facilitating a film making workshop for the 2Inspire Academy’s FREEInspire The Youth‘ Summer Programme, being held at
Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust,
Stephen Lawrence Centre,
39 Brookmill Road
London
SE8 4HU
.
My workshop will cover the basic skills needed to make a film and will be highly interactive and fun! There will be lots of other fantastic sessions on offer, facilitated by an array of magnificent educators, to help develop life skills. Remember, this will all be for FREE!!!

The programme will run between Monday 19th August and Friday 30th August 2013 (please refer to course programme above). Each session will run between 2pm – 5pm and will be aimed at 16-24 year olds. You can follow 2Inspire Academy on Twitter at @2inspireacademy.

Places are limited, so please book at your earliest convenience!

To register for this amazing programme and for further info, please go to the following link: http://2inspireacademysummerprogramme.eventbrite.co.uk/

Stations

The following stations are close to The Stephen Lawrence Centre and only 8 minutes train journey from London Bridge:
Deptford
New Cross
St Johns

Docklands Light Railway (DLR)

The following DLR station is close to The Stephen Lawrence Centre:
Deptford Bridge
The Centre is just behind the DLR Station

Buses

The following buses stop near The Stephen Lawrence Centre:
47 bus Bellingham to Shoreditch via London Bridge
225 bus Hither Green to Canada Water via Lewisham

Hope to see you there!

Regards,
Patricia Foster

Upcoming Release of New Poetry Video ‘Lips’ – Written and Performed by Patricia Foster

Myself on the film shoot!  Photo: Flora van den Berg, Mellow 9 Productions

Myself on the film shoot!
Photo: Flora van den Berg, Mellow 9 Productions

I’m really excited, as the release of the film version of my poem ‘Lips’ takes place this month, August 2013. The poem and film explores the impact of bullying between young females and how this can raise issues of identity and self esteem.

Myself and one of the superb cast!

Myself with one of the superb cast!

I was honoured to have my words brought to life by the incredibly talented, award winning Mellow 9 Productions. The whole experience, including the shoot, working with the crew and witnessing their spot on and intuitive casting was amazing.

I will post a link and further info about the video shortly. In the meantime, here are a few more behind-the-scenes photos from the film shoot. Photos by Flora van den Berg

Photo:  Flora van den Berg

Photo: Flora van den Berg

Photo: Flora van den Berg.  Scene with the fantastic young cast.

Photo: Flora van den Berg.
Scene with the fantastic young cast.

Photo: Flora Van Den Berg. Ameet Solanki and Adrian Scott behind the camera!

Photo: Flora van den Berg.
Ameet Solanki and Adrian Scott behind the camera!

Myself with Adrian Scott, Scriptwriter/Managing Director/Producer of Mellow 9

Myself with Adrian Scott,
Scriptwriter/Managing Director/Producer of Mellow 9

When Will Bullies Get The Message? – by Patricia Foster McKenley

Photo: Patricia Foster Photo: © Patricia Foster McKenley

As individuals, we are ALL created uniquely beautiful. Some of us have gentle dispositions and are therefore misunderstood. Some of us are extremely sensitively wired and are therefore misunderstood. Some of us will NEVER fit into the mould of acceptable looks, or acceptable past times. It’s about having patience with and being accepting of others, instead of demonising them…because they are not like you!

Some of us may not have explored communication tools that can best express our thoughts or feelings, so may have difficulty in responding to harsh words or criticism, or are unable to articulate the inner pain connected to these harsh words. Speaking out against harsh, critical words may therefore be a huge challenge.
Some of us may feel unsupported, because we are unable to find the right person to express our innermost thoughts and feelings to, without the fear of our expressed feelings being thrown back in our faces.

There is a saying “hurt people hurt people”. Research has shown that those who are unhappy within, or are in pain themselves lash out or bully others, therefore hurting their intended target too.

I performed poetry at a recent ‘Loose Muse’ women’s writing event and a courageous young lady shared her own, deeply personal experiences of being bullied and subsequently wanting to take her own life. She mentioned also that in the area of south London where she resides, suicides among teenagers, in particular GCSE and A Level students were at a ridiculously high number. This was not just due to the pressures of life, but also about how some are made to feel by harsh comments and treatments by others.

Today, I read a Facebook post, which outlined the last Tweet posted by a young man, tormented over the years about his sexuality. He was commonly referred to as “a loser, freak and fag” and used this to describe himself in his last Twitter message. He felt he had done the world an injustice and therefore took his life.

Without the right support and understanding from others, when will people cease to remove their inner pain, torment and feelings of being misunderstood by taking their own lives?

Some of us will never be accepted, because we are moulded and act differently.

How can those of us who are emotionally stronger step in to help prevent bullying and help support and encourage those who are being bullied or misunderstood?

In my workshops and through my writing I have focussed on this, as I have also been bullied and victimised by others. I therefore choose to use my art and holistic and well-being tools to help stand up to this. Writing and coaching can be useful ways to express pain, as well as feel accepted and valued within.

© Patricia Foster McKenley 2013

My Next Poetry Performance at CRYSTAL PALACE FESTIVAL Sunday 30 June 2013 – by Patricia Foster

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I am really pleased to have been asked by ‘Beyond Words’ to be a featured poet in their programme of poets and performers for the ‘Crystal Palace Overground Festival’. The event details are below:

BEYOND WORDS is delighted to offer a programme of local poets, artists and musicians at this year’s CRYSTAL PALACE FESTIVAL.

“BEYOND WORDS”
at
CRYSTAL PALACE
FESTIVAL
Sunday 30 June 2013
celebrates
local poets, musicians, story-tellers
AND MORE!

Upstairs 4pm at
MEDITERRANEA
21 Westow Street SE19 3RY.

Patricia Foster’s News and Updates for June 2013

Panel Discussion, Poetry Readings, Crystal Palace Festival, Making A Short Film with Mellow 9 Productions and Workshops

Performing at the 2Inspire Fundraising event

Performing at the 2Inspire Fundraising event

It is already hard to believe that the month of June is upon us. Lots of changes have occurred around me. Professionally, the first few weeks have been fairly busy.

On the 7th, I took part in a panel discussion, looking at the role of businesses and sole traders in African Inter-trade within Africa and the African Diaspora. This was hosted by Sustainable Hills. A video will be posted shortly.

On the 8th, I continued my involvement within The Virtue Programme, empowering young girls with the skills and training needed to be the leaders of tomorrow.

Also on the 8th June, I performed poetry at the 2Inspire Fundraising event.

 

Myself on the film shoot!  Photo: Flora van den Berg, Mellow 9 Productions

Myself on the film shoot!
Photo: Flora van den Berg, Mellow 9 Productions

I have recently commissioned the amazing film making company Mellow 9 Productions http://www.mellow9productions.co.uk/ to bring my poem ‘Lips’ to life. They have worked with a host of top UK spoken word artists. Filming took place on Wednesday 26th June 2013. The cast were superb. The crew were excellent, highly professional and an absolute joy to work with. I Will post further details and video link soon. Very exciting!

On Sunday 30th June 2013, I will be a featured poet, along side a fantastic line up of amazing poets at

CRYSTAL PALACE FESTIVAL

Hosted by “BEYOND WORDS”
Which celebrates local poets
musicians, and you
Upstairs, 4pm at
MEDITERRANEA
21 Westow Street SE19 3RY.

dPikt Meets Poet, Writer and Performer Patricia Foster – Latest Video Interview

dPikt Worl Magazine recently met up with Poet, Writer and Performer Patricia Foster. She is a Malika’s Kitchen writers’ collective founder member, recently published in the Loose Muse Anthology Of Women’s Writing. In September 2012, she was a specially invited featured poet at Café Mono, Oslo.

To check out the interview, click on the image below.

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Or watch the video directly on this page (below)

Serena Williams’ French Open Win 2013: What Impact Can This Have on Girls and Young Women?

Photo Credit: PATRICK KOVARIK/AFP/Getty Images

Photo Credit: PATRICK KOVARIK/AFP/Getty Images

As somebody who is committed to empowering girls and young women through creative, literary and holistic approaches, I have so much time for Serena and Venus Williams. I would cite them as two of my favourite role models, especially when needed to counteract the sometimes negative images, representations and portrayal of women that we currently see in the media.

It is therefore very frustrating to see the unnecessary, negative press Serena and Venus sometimes receive, whilst having dry spells and even when they win grand slams.

As a vegan and ‘raw foodist’ myself, according to an article on ‘Examinar.com’ holisticnewsletter (http://www.examiner.com/article/serena-williams-shifts-to-raw-foods-diet-to-support-her-sister-venus), I’m aware Serena followed a raw vegan diet to support her sister Venus, who was diagnosed with the autoimmune disease Sjogren’s syndrome, reported in the Washington Post on April 27. Venus was already following a raw food diet (eating unprocessed, uncooked vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds juices and smoothies), and in solidarity with her sister, Serena became a raw vegan also.

Serena had also taken the time to heal from a recent life threatening illness herself. She has therefore been to the brink and back, overcoming adversity, personal family tragedy and negative criticism from the press to get back to what she does best; winning!

Yesterday I spent an afternoon at a lovely, well respected bakery in Dulwich, south London, with a group of young ladies I have been teaching on The Virtue Programme, an education and personal development course dedicated to building confidence and self esteem into the female leaders of tomorrow. The trip was to expose them to the positive experiences they can gain and more nutritional options open to them, if they don’t choose from the popular high street fast food eateries. I can already see them acknowledging how powerful they are and what goals are possible for them to achieve! Like Serena and Venus, these young ladies too can overcome any obstacles they are faced with, as well as override criticism and negative comments to be winners in life.

This French Open win is testimony to the fighter, determined woman and high achiever Serena Williams is!

Totally inspirational!

© Patricia Foster June 2013

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