Dear Future, we wrote to you today…
On Saturday (15th Oct), Hive, in partnership with Grimm & Co. and the Off the Shelf Festival of Words, ran workshops with young writers from across the region. Author Nik Perring worked with 8-13 year olds, while the 14-19s worked with poet and short story writer, Vicky Morris, at the Apothecary of Magic that is Grimm HQ in Rotherham, sending letters and messages to – ‘the thing we do not yet know’ as one of the participants put it – i.e. the future!
And wow, what an inspiring range of ideas and work came from the minds of so many great young writers. There were hopes and fears – visions of future landscapes and what science might bring us, robots, animal conservation, messages of apology for the mess we might make, and advice and questions for a future self – all scribbled into letters, or tiny messages rolled into water-tight tubes for display.
It was both interesting and sad to see how the writing reflected the worries of our times with concerns over the likes of global warming, animal extinction and the possible election of a certain Tango-coloured American politician. (The latter being the biggest worry across both age groups!) Time and the future of course will tell.
There was hope too though, of still playing Sims and eating Turkey-Twizzlers with a best friend in years to come, and some poignant questions like – Dear Future, are you lonely?
The workshops were part of the Off the Shelf Festival of Words’ Regional Reach strand of work which takes the festive out of Sheffield and into other towns in South Yorkshire.
Writing from the project will appear in a future Grimm & Co. book that will be available to read or buy in Grimm’s shop for magician beings. (You don’t have to be magical to shop there…but it helps 🙂 )