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Monday 5 December 2016

The Barnbow Lasses

At 10.27pm on Tuesday 5th December 1916 a terrible explosion occurred at the Barnbow Munitions Factory in Leeds, Yorkshire, killing 35 brave women and girls. 

 A commemoration was held today in Manston Park to honour the Barnbow Lasses.

See my article in the Yorkshire Times

 


(Photo - Imperial War Museum)


Tuesday 20 September 2016

WORLD BOOK DAY WEEK 2017

NOW TAKING BOOKINGS FOR WBD WEEK 2017 (w/c 27th Feb 2017). 

 

Two dates are already booked! 

 

http://www.ninnylizard.com/home.htm  

Friday 29 July 2016

Wednesday 8 June 2016

Sensational Sam Marsh Olympic workshops at Mackie Hill J & I School!

Mrs Barker kindly invited me to Mackie Hill J & I School for two days this week to take Olympic themed workshops. So, Noah Ramsbottom visited the 2016 Rio Olympics for Key Stage One and Sam Marsh went back in time to the ancient Olympics in Greece for Key Stage Two! Fantastic!  


Monday 25 April 2016

Event Feedback!

It's always amazing to get brilliant feedback from teachers, parents, children and creative writers!

 

“Will you come back to our school with another of your books?”

“Can we book you again next spring?”

“Our SMT would like you to come back to our school before the end of the summer term and work with our exceptional children.”

“I’ll definitely recommend you to other teachers!”

 "Will you run some more of these workshops using Rob?"

 "My school would definitely be interested in you visiting!" 

 "The children learnt so much during the drama sessions!" 

 

Friday 22 April 2016

Prince

Prince was one of my musical heroes. So talented, so creative, so unique. I saw him live over twenty years ago and it was one of the most amazing nights of my life. A sad loss for the world. 

RIP Prince.  



Monday 11 April 2016

Creative writing at Leeds City Museums

Last week I had an amazing couple of days working as the writer in residence at Armley Mills Industrial Museum in Leeds as part of their brilliant Women Work War exhibition, encouraging visitors (children and grown ups!) to use their knowledge of WW1, any personal information and information from the exhibition to create stories/poems. I met some brilliant writers, discovered some amazing personal stories and read some exceptional creative writing (some excerpts below). I even met Barry, who used to work at Barnbow (WW1 National Filling Factory No1 and featured in my up and coming book) in the 1970's when it was a tank factory. A huge thank you to Cara for inviting me and making the events run so well. Can't wait to be invited back! 


 
Starting work at the munitions factory by Sophie.
“Jane, you have to come and work at the factory,” Jane’s mother had been working at the munitions factory for ever. She’d seen her father go off to fight at the front with his ‘Pals’ and her mother wanted Jane to be part of the war effort.
“Why?”
“What do you mean, why? You don’t have a choice!” Mother was angry, “tomorrow morning at six you’re coming with me and Eleanor!”
Jane couldn’t sleep that night. She had heard terrible stories about what happened in the factories but she told herself not to be so selfish. Others were at war, fighting in France and doing our nation proud…
Room 42 – By Cara.
Teeth chattering.
Clogs clattering.
Whistle blowing.
Girls moaning.
Doors opening.
Machines whirling.
Wheels squeaking.
Metal clanking.
Ears drumming.
Chairs scraping.
Mugs clanking.
BOOM!
Girls silent.
Early Morning shift by Sue
5.30am. It’s cold and dark, “do I really have to get up?”
“Yes! My shift’s starting soon.”
I’ve just started working at the Barnbow Munitions Factory. I arrive at a huge building and am greeted by dozens of women and girls. They are all chatting about their husbands and kids. I feel shy but Elsie, a huge woman, takes me under her wing.
“Why are there so many buildings, Elsie?” I ask.
“Best not to know, lass.”
I am suddenly filled with unexplainable dread. Even though this is my first day I’m afraid about what’s inside the buildings, But I know I have to go in because I’ve got younger brothers and sisters to help support while Dad’s away fighting.

The Mud. By Barry.
The mud was so deep that it came over my boots. My socks never dried out. On dry land the first thing you did was dry your socks out but as soon as you stepped back in the trenches they were soaked through again.
That damn mud got everywhere. In your food and in your hair and even in places covered by layers. I hate the mud.

Bombed city by Zach
“What was that noise?” the ground shook beneath their feet. Panic quickly spread like a forest fire as everyone expected worse to come.
Minutes went by as silence reined in the city. Everyone was safe.
But the city was different almost unrecognisable to just a few years earlier as everyone did their bit for King and Country. Women doing men’s work, children collecting scrap metal, the men far away.

The trench by Ahmed.
“ZIP! A German bullet whizzed passed Thomas’s head and a neighbour crumpled to the ground.
With his foot wedged into the side of the trench Thomas took a pot shot across no man’s land. He heard a feint thud and looked through the barbed wire to see medics fumbling with an injured soldier. He felt devoid of remorse even though he knew he’d just created a widow.

WW1 Football Match by Ibtehal.
It was Christmas day and the atmosphere was different to yesterday. It felt calm, peaceful almost.
“What should we do?” thought John before saying to David, “I’ve got an idea for how we can lift everyone’s spirits!”
“How?” asked David.
“FOOTBALL!” replied John loudly, too loudly.
“FOOTBALL!?  Yelled a voice from across no man’s land.
“Yes!” replied John, “football!”

 

Wednesday 23 March 2016

Seven more brilliant schools visits!

After a week of amazing author events in West Yorkshire I spent two brilliant days in Hertfordshire schools! 

A huge thanks to Miss Bradford, Mrs Webster, Miss Rutherford, Miss Brown and Mrs Butler for inviting me to their schools. And thanks to everyone else who made my events such a brilliant success! Lastly, and certainly not least, to the 500+ children who worked so hard, listened so well and produced some amazing  stories! 

http://www.ninnylizard.com/visits.htm 

 



 



Monday 14 March 2016

Amazing workshops in Durham!

I always love visiting schools in the North East where my Gran came from and my visit to Collierley Primary School was so brilliant that they've booked again for next year! 



Saturday 5 March 2016

Wonderful World Book Day Week!

I had the pleasure of visiting four fantastic schools this week, in The Wirral, Liverpool and Halifax, making it the best World Book Day Week ever!

Some schools have even booked events for 2017! 




 

Saturday 27 February 2016

Four great schools in an amazing week!

This week I've travelled over a thousand miles visiting four great schools in Sussex, Islington, Durham and Sunderland. Two have booked again for 2017 and another is trying to organise another author event this year! 

Thank you to everyone for making me feel so welcome and for all the brilliant children who worked so hard, I've seen some exceptional writing this week and look forward to sharing some on this blog! 



Wednesday 10 February 2016

Awesome Arthurian workshops in Lancashire!

They finally let me over the border from Yorkshire to Lancashire and the Arthurian drama workshops with Year 5 and 6 pupils at Manor Road Primary School in Clayton le Woods were amazing! 


 


Wednesday 3 February 2016

Hawes Community Primary School.

I can't believe how lucky I am to visit amazing schools like Hawes Community Primary School! Fantastic young writers, artists and actors! Thanks for inviting me Mrs Dooley!






Monday 1 February 2016

Buy my books at Amazon.

Lot's of children ask where they can buy my books. Take a look at my Amazon homepage where all my books are available.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rob-Bullock/e/B0032KZQ90/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0





Thursday 21 January 2016

The week after WBD week 2016.

Although I am fully booked for World Book Day week 2016 I do still have some availability the following week, the week commencing 7th March 2016. 

 

Please get in touch to book your author visit.



Monday 4 January 2016

Happy 2016!

Happy New Year! 

I'm looking forward to a brilliantly exciting 2016 with workshops and events already booked up to next Christmas (I've still got plenty of availability though!).

I want to wish all my readers all over the world a really Happy, peaceful and prosperous 2016!