9:32am Tuesday 2nd March 2010
By Maxine Gordon
TIME was when women tied themselves to railings or burned their bras to get noticed. But next week, women in York will be doing yoga, taking part in laughter workshops, expressing themselves at creative writing and poetry sessions and trying their hands at Indian cookery – all in the name of sisterhood.
These are some of the highlights in a brimming programme to mark York International Women’s Week, which starts on Saturday. In all, some 30 events running over the seven days will turn the spotlight on the “second sex”.
Festival co-ordinator Sue Lister says the aim is to offer a wide selection of activities and appeal to a broad range of interests.
So besides the chance to do tai chi in Museum Gardens or enjoy a women-only swim at York’s Energise sports centre, there is also a talk by Baroness Haleh Afshar, professor of politics at the University of York, on women’s continuing struggle for equality, while Heather Stroud, hot from her mercy mission to Gaza, will talk about the plight of the Palestinians.
New for 2010 is a walk highlighting women’s contribution to literature in York. Another walk will explore women’s place in York’s heritage.
Sue said: “There is some very serious stuff such as a film screening of Snow, dealing with the aftermath of the Bosnian war on women and children, and Haleh Afshar’s talk on equality, but also yoga classes for pregnant women and a laughter workshop.”
Sue first became involved in the festival ten years ago, as a participant with Real People Theatre. This year, she is using her dramatic skills again, running a workshop entitled Bringing Poetry To Life as part of a three-session event at York St John University, on Saturday, March 13.
Budding bards can begin with the Catching The Spark session with poet Pauline Kirk at 10.30am, before getting some presentation tips from Sue at 1pm. At 3pm, performance poet Rose Drew will run a workshop on Poetry As Performance. Participants can either take learnt pieces to read or write their own works on the day. All readings will be videoed at the end.
Would-be writers can get their creative juices flowing too at a Coffee, Cakes and Creative Writing morning at Grays Court on Friday, March 12, at 10.30am.
Mums and daughters can share culinary fun at an Indian cookery workshop on Saturday, March 13, learning how to prepare a simple brunch of stuffed chapattis with tomato chutney – perfect for Mother’s Day. The two-hour session will run at York’s new cookery school, The Cooking Rooms, Amy Johnson Way, Clifton Moor, from 10am.
Also that Saturday, people can get crafty at York Steiner School making felt hand-puppets. Beginners and experienced felt-makers are equally welcome.
Sue said the point of women’s week was to “celebrate the contribution of women to human society”. She added: “Women are incredible. They are doing incredible things and are so supportive, nourishing and inspiring. This is a way to remember them, just as we remember mothers and fathers on Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.”
* WOMEN’S contribution to York’s literary history will be explored in a new walk launched for International Women’s Week.
York Walk guide Lynn Harper is putting finishing touches to the tour, which starts at Museum Gardens on Sunday at 2pm.
Some famous – and not so famous – female authors will feature in the walk, says Lynn.
“We start off in Museum Gardens, where Kate Atkinson sets part of her novel, Behind The Scenes At The Museum,” says Lynn. “And while we are there, I will talk about Noah’s wife, who is in the Mystery Plays – which are coming to York again this year. The story there is that she didn’t want to go on the arc because she didn’t want to leave her friends behind.”
The tour will also reveal which famous female authors once stayed at a hotel in Coney Street and get you looking at the Theatre Royal in a new way.
“Charlotte and Anne Bronte actually stayed in York and went to the Minster, just before going on to Scarborough, where Anne died,” says Lynn. “There is a plaque at Next in Coney Street where the George Hotel once stood, where they stayed.”
At the Theatre Royal, Lynn will ask walkers to look above the entrance. “There are four medallions there – you have got to cross the road to see them. One features Queen Elizabeth, one Lady Macbeth, one Cleopatra and the fourth Titania, with her long, curly hair.”
Lynn will also tell the story of Celia Fiennes, who toured England on horseback in the late 17th century and wrote a travelogue, alongside that of Charlotte Richardson, an orphan in the late 1700s whose poems ended up in the Minster Library.
Lynn particularly likes the one she wrote about a York suburb. “Acomb, once more thy tranquil shades I hail,” she recites.
For locals and visitors alike, the walk is full of such gems.
“It’s fun for local people,” says Lynn. “They realise they have walked past some place for years and never knew about it. And for visitors, it is nice to learn about the place they have come to.”
• Literary Women In York, Sunday March 7, 2pm. Meet at Museum Garden main gates. £5.50/£5. Lynn will also be taking a Women in York History tour on Sunday at 10.30am. For more information, telephone 01904 622303 or 651130
• For the full programme of events, visit yorkwomen.org.uk
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