logo
Literature community project set to launch in Pembrokeshire

Literature community project set to launch in Pembrokeshire

Little Grebe Creative CIC has been awarded £20,000 from the National Lottery Community Fund to launch the "Love Through Literature" project.
The initiative aims to bring people together through stories.
The project will offer free activities such as creative writing workshops, storytelling sessions, and filmmaking opportunities.
The goal is to celebrate the voices, experiences, and imaginations of Pembrokeshire's diverse communities.
Kerry Curson, project manager of Little Grebe Creative CIC, said: "We believe stories are the heartbeat of every community.
"This project is about listening, sharing, and celebrating the beautiful diversity of Pembrokeshire through literature and the arts."
The project will culminate in the creation of a short film and a published short story anthology, both featuring the stories and voices of those involved.
At the heart of "Love Through Literature" is a commitment to diversity, inclusion, and representation.
The CIC is actively reaching out to individuals from a wide range of cultural, social, and linguistic backgrounds to ensure that the project reflects the full spectrum of Pembrokeshire's community life.
Whether participants are seasoned storytellers or completely new to the craft, "Love Through Literature" offers a welcoming and supportive space for connection, creativity, and collaboration.
For updates, event information, and opportunities to get involved, visit the Little Grebe Creative website.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

We fell in love over cocktails, and wine. Could our relationship survive when I went sober?
We fell in love over cocktails, and wine. Could our relationship survive when I went sober?

Telegraph

time6 hours ago

  • Telegraph

We fell in love over cocktails, and wine. Could our relationship survive when I went sober?

When we both ordered Old Fashioneds on our first date in 2012, I thought my husband might be the one. Dale told me that, when it came to cocktails, he had a sweet tooth, and he couldn't resist a maraschino cherry or a tiny umbrella. I felt exactly the same way. I was smitten. Cocktails defined our courtship. We went to the Ivy, the Connaught, the American Bar at the Savoy. Not long after we met, he whisked me away to Paris, then Venice, and we attempted to drink in every bar Hemingway hung out in – quite quickly, we discovered this was pretty much every bar we passed. We went to New York and stayed at the Algonquin – and stayed up at the bar. Dale was happy to indulge my Dorothy Parker fixation. I started to wonder exactly what Parker's problem was. I couldn't channel her cynicism, any more. I was drunk, in love. Eventually, we settled into a real-life rhythm. We moved in together and ticked every box on the newly cohabiting couple bingo card. We'd cook, we'd buy nice wine, we'd host and attend boozy dinner parties. We'd make noises about taking a week off drinking, then we'd meet in the pub after a particularly tricky day at work, drink more than we meant to, and buy chips on the way home. We'd attempt dry January or Sober October, with varying levels of success. We'd have a drink when we went to the cinema, or the theatre. We became engaged in the summer of 2014, and we married in the Autumn of 2015 – I reckon I was drunk on champagne for the best part of 18 months. However, as my 30s progressed, I started to question my relationship with alcohol. I was struggling to manage my anxiety, and drinking exacerbated it. My hangovers got worse – I'd wake up feeling afraid – it was as though my bones knew something dreadful was going to happen, even though my brain could find no evidence to back this up. I became hypervigilant about work, worrying obsessively about making a mistake and failing, checking my emails constantly and obsessively. My alcohol-related anxiety shrank my ambition. I turned down exciting assignments, because I convinced myself that I wouldn't be able to do a good job. I never did anything dreadful – my worst drunken stunt was usually ordering a large Dominos pizza and then trying to beat it home. The binge eating was another issue: I was gaining weight and always trying a new diet. I'd drink on an empty stomach, then eat the contents of the kitchen cupboards for dinner. Dale was patient and kind, but baffled. He'd always been better than I was at knowing his limits and calling it a night. Yet, the more unhappy and anxious I became, the more I drank. Sometimes I'd go out without him and come home hopelessly drunk. We'd argue in the morning , because he'd been worried about my safety. I'd feel terrible about what I'd put him through and promise myself that I'd never do it again. Until the next time. For years, I wrestled with alcohol and my mental health, in secret. I thought that if I could get my anxiety under control, I'd be able to drink happily, in moderation, like everyone else. I still loved drinking with Dale. We moved to the Kent coast – we'd walk off our hangovers beside the sea, and he'd tell me everything was going to be OK. But mentally, I was going to some shockingly dark places. I was scared to tell Dale just how low I felt, because I was scared to express my thoughts out loud. I started reading memoirs about sobriety and addiction. At first, I was trying to reassure myself that I was fine and I didn't have a real problem. Maybe I was going through a phase, but I was startled to discover how much I had in common with the people I was reading about. The books made me feel less alone and less ashamed, but I couldn't ignore the facts that were in front of me. I couldn't drink like other people – not even my husband. We'd fallen in love under the spell of a magic potion. Now it was poisoning me. Every day, I went back and forth. I couldn't quit. I had to quit. I just needed a month off. We were going on holiday, then to a festival, then to a fortieth birthday party... As soon as the calendar was calmer, I'd take a break. The holiday was our first post-Covid trip – starting in Copenhagen, then on to Malmö and Stockholm. I'd been looking forward to it for a long time. On our first night we went out for gin cocktails, before dinner with a wine flight. And on our second day, I started crying, and I couldn't stop. I cried all the way to Malmö. I was in the dark and I couldn't get out. I realised I had to try sobriety, because nothing else was working. For Dale, a lot of this seemed to come out of nowhere. It was hard for both of us. He was sympathetic, but frustrated. He knew people who had problems with addiction, and I didn't fit the profile. For him, the trip marked the end of a big work project – he wanted to celebrate and have fun. 'At the time, I thought 'Can't she just wait until we're back from our holiday?'' he told me, later. But he knew that I was desperate and frightened. Together, we took it one day at a time – some occasions were more challenging than others. At first, I struggled when I was socialising, and we'd bicker about when we could go home – if I had my way, we'd leave 20 minutes after arriving. We tried to go to bars together, and I turned into a whiny fun sponge, complaining that everywhere was too loud, too crowded and too hot. I suspect that we came quite close to divorce when I was about three months in sobriety, and I'd wake up every morning and give Dale a TED talk on how well I'd slept. We missed our favourite drinking rituals, but we found new ones. When I finished a novel, Dale bought me a bottle of Wild Idol non-alcoholic champagne to celebrate. Instead of seeking out new cocktail bars, we went on missions to discover the best gelato. And I started to realise that without booze, I was, on balance, a better partner. I still had dark days, but they didn't become dark weeks or months. I had more energy and enthusiasm for trying new things, from exhibitions to cinema trips. We went out for dinner less, but we went out for breakfast more. I often thought it was a shame that neither of us could drive – poor Dale missed out on the biggest potential benefit of a newly sober spouse, a late-night chauffeur. I asked Shahroo Izadi, a psychologist, addiction specialist and behavioural change expert, about the challenges that a couple in our situation might face and how you can both support each other when one of you goes sober. She told me: 'What often creates tension is the assumption that one partner's choice to stop drinking is a silent judgement on the other – or on drinking itself. In truth, it's usually about recognising the personal impact alcohol has on them – not alcohol itself being 'bad.' The key is to communicate your needs without moralising: 'This is something I'm working on, and here's how you can support me,' rather than implying anyone else needs to change.' Her words strike a chord: if I've learnt anything since I stopped drinking, it's that alcohol affects everyone differently. I feel as though I'm 'emotionally allergic' to booze – I wouldn't necessarily expect Dale, or anyone else to respond to alcohol in the way that I did. It's coming up to three years since I stopped drinking. I believe it's one of the best things I've ever done – I think I'm happier, and I think our marriage is stronger. But in the interests of accuracy, I had to ask Dale what he thought. 'It's been much easier than I thought it would be. Drinking together was always fun, and I never thought you had a problem, so I was a bit shocked and sad when you stopped. Maybe the hardest part was not knowing how much you were struggling in silence. But three years on, you seem calmer and happier and our life and our routine hasn't changed that much. We still go out and have fun together. I drink a bit less, and I feel better for it. For me, the biggest benefit is probably that I don't worry as much when you're out late without me.' Quitting drinking was hard. Having a supportive partner made it much easier. I don't know that I'd still be sober if I was with someone who pressured me to come to the pub, for 'just the one'. I know that this has been challenging for both of us, in different ways. I worried that without booze, I wouldn't be any fun. But before I quit, I wasn't fun at all. Just anxious and unhappy. Now I'm calmer, more confident and more energetic – and hopefully, nicer to be married to. Sometimes sobriety seems bittersweet. I miss getting tipsy with Dale, and I'm sad that there aren't any more shared Old Fashioneds in our future. But we can still toast each other if I'm holding a mocktail. And there's always gelato.

Australia's most 'wholesome' bachelor wins hearts across the country with his very candid message: 'This is so cute'
Australia's most 'wholesome' bachelor wins hearts across the country with his very candid message: 'This is so cute'

Daily Mail​

time18 hours ago

  • Daily Mail​

Australia's most 'wholesome' bachelor wins hearts across the country with his very candid message: 'This is so cute'

Australia's most 'wholesome' bachelor has drawn praise across the country after he shared a heartfelt video looking for a potential suitor. Perth man Sam said he was ready for a long-term relationship after having 'no luck on the dating apps'. In a video viewed more than 580,000 times on TikTok, the 28-year-old said he thought he would try a different way of finding his future love interest. 'This is my dating application video on TikTok,' he said. 'I'm blind in one eye, I like video games, hiking, camping, adventures, photography, vlogging, and travelling. 'I'm preferably looking for a long term relationship.' The young man said he was looking for somebody about his age and in Australia. 'So this is my third take of this video and I really hope that this reaches the right people and hopefully something comes out of this,' he said. 'So, yeah, feel free to drop any, feel free to drop a few comments. 'And, feel free to shoot me a DM or if you're a gamer, add me on Discord. I also don't smoke or do drugs or have kids. 'I'd like someone who I can travel the world with and make memories with.' Many social media users said they empathised with Sam's dating troubles. 'Dating apps are a horrible experience. You seem so lovely! I hope this reaches the right person,' one woman wrote. 'This is wholesome bro, take it from someone who's been where you are and is dating the most amazing girl, you're gonna find the right girl!' one bloke said. 'Keep your standards high, don't change for anyone and remember, you can't say the wrong thing to the right person! Good luck bro!' 'My husband is also blind in one eye! i hope you have better luck on TikTok, dating apps suck,' a third said. 'Fingers crossed you can find a girl that aligns with your values! you seem like such great value.' Others were sure the video would reach an apt bachelorette. 'This is the sweetest, most wholesome thing I've ever seen! good luck out there and I wish you all the best and you will find someone perfect for you,' one woman wrote. 'You seem like such a kind genuine soul, i hope you find someone who deserves you and makes you happy,' another wrote. 'You seem like such a lovely guy! The right ones definitely out there good luck Sam we're all rooting for you!' a third added. One man congratulated his bravery. 'Luck to you, tops for putting it out there like this. Brave and bold mate,' he wrote. Other viewers offered to be his wingmen and wingwomen. 'Good luck Sam! You've got this,' one woman said.

George Orwell estate accused of censorship after putting trigger warning at start of Nineteen Eighty-Four
George Orwell estate accused of censorship after putting trigger warning at start of Nineteen Eighty-Four

Daily Mail​

time19 hours ago

  • Daily Mail​

George Orwell estate accused of censorship after putting trigger warning at start of Nineteen Eighty-Four

George Orwell's estate has been accused of censorship after a 'trigger warning' was added to his classic novel Nineteen Eighty Four. The preface of the the 75th anniversary edition suggests Orwell's protagonist Winston Smith is 'problematic' and that readers may find his views on women 'despicable'. The introductory essay was written by US novelist Dolen Perkins-Valdez and critics claim it risks undermining the revolutionary novel's warning against state control of thought. Orwell's dystopian hyperbolic future is set under an authoritarian regime, where citizens are punished by the 'Thought Police' for subversive thoughts. It follows Winston Smith and a minor bureaucrat who secretly rebels against the regime with Julia, a fellow party member. But their doomed affair comes to an end and the hearts of readers are broken when they are arrested, tortured and brainwashed into betraying one another. The novel has been hailed as one of the most influential pieces of literature of all time. Now, the author's estate has been accused of ideological policing. US writer Walter Kirn said on the podcast America this Week: 'We're getting someone to actually convict George Orwell himself of thought crime. 'We're not yet in a world where books and classic books are being excised or eliminated,' Kirn added, but warned the Orwell estate-approved edition of 1984 had been 'published with an apology for itself'. The book already had a foreword written by American novelist Thomas Pynchon, leading Mr Kirn to question why a second was needed. 'These people felt they needed an introduction before the old white man's introduction. So this version of 1984 has a trigger warning!' He called it 'the most 1984-ish thing I've ever f***ing read'. Ms Perkins-Valdez wrote she was enjoying the novel until Winston revelas himself to be a 'problematic' character who 'disliked nearly all women, and especially the young and pretty ones.' She added the novel doesn't address race and as a black woman she found it difficult to connect with the characters. The anniversary edition of the 1949 classic is published by Berkley Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store