Hello and welcome to my second Showcase for December. Things are hotting up out there, and I’m beginning to realise my Christmas card list won’t write itself! Time to crack on then with my first piece, written by Claire Buckle, detailing the work of a brilliant charity, The Bike Project, which helps refugees in a simple but highly effective way. Read on, and perhaps even consider making a donation to this very worthy cause…

The Bike Project

Imagine trying to survive on as little as £1.26 a day, housed in a hostel or hotel on the outskirts of a town, two hours away on foot, with no affordable means of reaching it. A return bus fare would drain half your weekly allowance. But those asylum seekers have their freedom now, some people might say. In some ways, that is true: freedom from the horrors of trafficking or being killed in a war zone. Yet what about the relentless images of trauma that haunt the small rooms in which they live? Or the isolation that comes from not speaking the language, unable to share their story with those who view them with suspicion?

Imagine if there were a way for them to reach a town, a park, or a forest, to experience the restorative benefits of nature and joy of movement. Or, if they have been granted refugee status and found a job, a way for them to travel to work. This is where The Bike Project (thebikeproject.co.uk) comes in, making a positive difference to their lives. Through the generosity of the public, dedicated volunteers and a committed staff, this charity refurbishes donated bicycles and gifts them to those in need, offering not only mobility, but a tool to help heal from trauma.

Rather than detail information available on their website, I want to share how I encountered this inspiring charity, which receives no government funding. In November, I attended an event as a guest of my daughter, whose partner works for the charity. The evening’s purpose was to highlight their ambition to scale up their impact with the aim of reaching more people. Volunteers, staff and refugees spoke of how The Bike Project has profoundly touched their lives.

A young Nigerian woman told her story. She escaped trafficking and arrived in the UK with nothing but hope for safety. When she received her bike, her world opened up. She couldn’t afford public transport and had to save her meagre allowance to buy necessities. Every day, she carried her bike up the stairs to her fourth-floor room to keep it safe.

A young man from Sudan had never learned to ride a bike. Determined, he practised at night and with the help of a Bike Buddy from the charity. Amazingly, he now completes 200km rides, an accomplishment that not only brings him joy but also inspires the volunteers who supported him. His aspirations have grown: “Why not the Olympics someday?” he says. “I want to try everything; nothing’s stopping me. Cycling makes me feel excited, more confident. I can do it. I’m so happy I did. The Bike Project gives me more opportunities and helps me focus on myself, to fix problems, to feel comfortable, to connect with others. My life is different now. I’m so happy and proud of myself, my teammates – so proud of all of us.”

So, next time you go for a bike ride, relish the freedom it brings. Think of those who still long for that privilege, and if you ever upgrade to a new bike, consider donating your old one. It could change a life in ways you might never have imagined.

© Claire Buckle, 2024

Connect with Claire on Instagram: @cloubuckle

You can find out more about the Bike Project on their website: thebikeproject.co.uk

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Our current theme of ‘Difference’ continues to inspire our writers. In her poem, Juneha Chowdhury perfectly captures the way we all feel at times, coming to the conclusion that we must embrace our differences because they’re what make us unique.

What Makes ME

I’ve always felt different
like I beat to a different drum
it was a blessing in certain situations
but equally a curse in some.

Soft to a fault.
Empathy my middle name.
I often struggled when
Others didn’t feel the same.

Always one to give people
The benefit of the doubt.
Wasn’t in my nature
to call people out.

Thought kindness would always breed kindness
Until I was proved wrong.
It was not in everyone’s virtue
Neither was being strong.

Could connect with people
On levels others admired.
I’d often wondered how differently
I was wired.

Although it’s difficult at times
To see what others can’t see.
A different drum, a different song,
It’s what makes me ME.

© Juneha Chowdhury, 2024

Connect with Juneha at: junehachowdhury.com and on X: @junehachowdhury

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In our next poem, Siobhan Pierce takes a light-hearted look at how differences can be perceived when someone moves from one area to another.

Dagenham To Barking Banter

I hear you are going to be right proper posh
And to live amongst you could take a bit of dosh
So now good old Barkingside
Won’t be a place where a dodgy cockney can hide
I hear you are going to be a new ‘regeneration neighbourhood’
With a name like that it better be good
So, you can get to the city in a brand-new river boat
It could be a bit chilly so don’t forget your coat
Ten thousand new homes all near the river
I just hope that east wind won’t make you all shiver
Ooh get you – a new station, schools and cycleway
And great green parks where the kids can play
But here in Dagenham we are not jealous and sad
We are really proud of our place, and it makes us feel glad
The Heathway, Becontree, Fords and good old Moby Dick
Are part of our identity – its what makes us tick
Anyway, we have now got a new film and media site
And some magnificent wind turbines that look like birds in flight
I suppose we might have a bit of envy for your Barkingside fun
But just remember we are all still reliant on the elusive British sun
So, although I am pleased for your new found Barkingside fame
Think of your old mate Dagenham especially on that new boat in the rain!

© Siobhan Pierce, 2024

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Here’s a lovely, warm piece from Lisa O’Scully-Grady, recalling the time she made her grandmother’s Christmas cake recipe, and how the entire process made her realise the importance of family bonds and staying connected. Have you made yours yet?

Grandma’s Christmas Cake

I come from an unusual family in the sense that neither I nor my two siblings ever met any of our four grandparents. Neither did my parents meet theirs. However, that doesn’t mean to say we haven’t been inspired or influenced by them.

My paternal grandmother was married in 1925. Along the way, she lost two children and suffered great pain and sadness. However, she owned her own farm and, by all accounts, was a wonderful gardener, an accomplished pianist and an adventurous cook. Although I never met her, I spent my early childhood in her house, which my parents renovated.

A number of years ago, going through personal losses myself and looking for a distraction, I decided to collect some of her favourite recipes and bake her Christmas cake. It felt so seasonal and in tune with nature as the aromas filled my kitchen and the darkness of winter enveloped. For me, it evoked earlier times when people harvested fruits and nuts for the winter months, as in The Little House On The Prairie books of my childhood.

As I mixed and measured the ingredients, drinking in the rich aromas of whiskey, cinnamon and mixed spice, I felt my grandmother’s presence there with me in my kitchen; even if only in my imagination. It reminded me of the Jewish saying Of Blessed Memory that I read in a book by Erica Jong of the same title. Meaning, as long as you hold someone in your heart they are still with you, living on in your memory.

The cake turned out to be a success and I gave half of it to my uncle, her son.

The bonds of friendship, kinship and times shared: shared memory with people who touch our lives no matter for how long a time, how long ago, or even over generations or through books and novels, is love, is purpose and, I believe, is the secret of happiness.

© Lisa Scully-O’Grady, 2024

Connect with Lisa on Instagram: @letters_home_again and X: @lisascullyo

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There’s much food for thought with both these pieces, don’t you think? I look forward to sharing more with you next week. Stay calm!

Connect with me on Instagram: @clareatclarelou (where I like to share the many photographs I enjoy taking). My blog: claredotcooper@wordpress.com.(where I share my thoughts on all manner of subjects).

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If you’d like to see your writing appear in the Write On! Showcase, please submit your short stories, poetry or novel extracts to: pentoprint.org/get-involved/submit-to-write-on/

Hear extracts from Showcase in our podcast. Write On! Audio. Find us on all major podcast platforms, including Apple and Google Podcasts and Spotify. Type Pen to Print into your browser and look for our logo or find us on Spotify for Pocasters.

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