GREAT TO HEAR FATIMA WHITBREAD'S RADIO PROGRAMME MADE BY THE BBC WORLD SERVICE THIS MORNING. BUY HER NEW BOOK FOR CHRISTMAS???
Regular readers will know I have already mentioned some of the famous folk I have met living around the world, who were kind enough to be interviewed for my books and articles, some thirty years ago). I tend to keep in touch with them and they have popped back into my journalist life over a lifetime.
Recently, one such is the super Olympic champion athlete Fatima Whitbread, whose memoirMy Bright Shining Staris currently a best-seller. Signed copies can be found in numerous Essex-based book stores such as Waterstones and WH Smith (now T G Jones) particularly in Brentwood, Essex, England, although I think the other Brentwoods around the world have an interest!
Supersonic Fatima is included within my current project of how I met and interviewed so many illustrious folk, many of whom are included in past book presentations with more being added as life unfolds.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OUR FABULOUS FUN WALK PARTICIPANTS
The month of September is like no other when it comes to Fund-raising Fun Walks, Since 2002, our fabulous team has been joining together annually raising money for the charities and local community groups that participated this year.
Just a few of some of our fabulous fun raisers - more to come!
Thousands United Across Essex for the Spectacular 2025 Fun Walk
A Massive
Turnout, Powerful Fundraising, and Unforgettable Moments Set the Stage for a
Grand Celebration in November
Energy, colour, and compassion lit up
Essex this September as thousands of walkers, supporters, and volunteers
came together for the 2025 Fun Walk — one of the most inspiring
community fundraising events of the year.
From Brentwood to Basildon and beyond,
the annual Fun Walk once again proved to be a powerful force for good,
uniting over 80 local charities and community groups with a shared
purpose: to raise vital funds and uplift the causes that make a difference
across Essex.
A Sea of Support
and Smiles
This year’s event saw an explosion of
creativity, with walkers donning themed costumes, waving charity banners, and
bringing incredible energy to their walk routes. The event has produced many
stunning photos, capturing families walking to support charities that care
for their loved ones, to school groups and sports clubs walking for their
futures. These images have been shared through the Fun Walk’s digital
platforms, highlighting the breadth and heart of the event.
Countdown to the
Celebration Evening – and the Bonus Pot Reveal
Excitement is already building for the
2025 Celebration Evening, set to take place this November, where
participating groups will be honoured for their efforts, stories will be
shared, and the community will come together once again – this time to celebrate
what has been achieved.
A major highlight of the evening will
be the announcement of this year’s Bonus Pot – a special fund
contributed by generous local businesses and sponsors, designed to significantly
boost the funds raised by every group involved. The total amount is under
wraps for now – but expectations are high.
A Message from
the Fun Walk Team
“This year’s Fun Walk has been
absolutely phenomenal,” said John Baron, Chair of the Fun Walk Trustees. “Each
year we’re inspired and humbled by the passion and dedication of our community
– and 2025 has met all of our expectations. We are so proud of every single
walker and supporter who helped make this such a success. Now, we look forward
to the Celebration Evening to reflect, recognise, and reveal the Bonus Pot!”
“We
remain deeply grateful to our Bonus Pot sponsors for their outstanding
commitment to the community. This year, our valued sponsors include Greater
Anglia, Brown & Carroll (London), Sanctuary Housing Association, Equi Ltd,
One Footstep (Human Kind Café, Billericay), Butyl Products Group, Tunnelcraft,
c2c Rail, Mr Barrie Stone
BRENTWOOD WRITERS' CIRCLE MEMBERS CELEBRATED YET ANOTHER ANNUAL WRITERS' DAY
What a great day to welcome so many new faces at Brentwood Writers' Circle to meet and listen to American novelist Caroline Lawrence based in London, who presented a fabulous day outlining just some of her bestselling books.
Excellent photography from Ian Davidson of Brentwood, one of our new friends and a well-known photo-journalist.
DAME JILLY COOPER - SUCH SAD NEWS OF A SUPER NOVELIST WHO PASSED AWAY ON MONDAY LAST
So very sad to hear of the passing of novelist Jilly Cooper, our lovely friend of the Society of Women Writers and Journalists. She enjoyed attending some of our functions in the past and was always so cheerful and funny. We have some great memories and photos of this great lady.
Explore the fascinating psychology behind these killer women, unraveling their motives and unveiling the infinite complexities of human behavior in Women Who Murder: An International Collection of Deadly True Crime Tales.
From chilling stories of black widow murderers to spine-tingling narratives of women who shocked the world with their sinister deeds, this anthology spans eras and continents, offering an electrifying and thought-provoking exploration of the darkest corners of human nature and the female psyche. Like Mitzi Szereto’s popular The Best New True Crime Stories series, Women Who Murder includes all-new and original nonfiction accounts from an international cast of writers, all of whom prove that women can be just as deadly as men—if not more so!
“The usual suspects rub shoulders with little-known killers from around the globe in this surprising, disturbing, and thoroughly engaging collection of stories of lethal women, evil mothers, deadly lovers, and abuse victims driven to the brink. Essential reading for all true crime fans.”—Dean Jobb, author of The Case of the Murderous Dr. Cream
“This exciting true crime anthology, finely edited by Mitzi Szereto, demonstrates that although women around the globe kill far less frequently than men, their murderous tales are often more compelling. Highly recommended!”—Dr. Scott Bonn, author of Why We Love Serial Killers: The Curious Appeal of the World’s Most Savage Murderers
“For those who like their true crime lean, mean, and multinational. Women Who Murder delivers bite-sized case studies both notorious and little known, but always addressing one overriding question: what drives a woman to kill? Editor Mitzi Szereto opens a Pandora’s box-load of shockers, contributing her own essay about Iran’s first female serial murderer. Women Who Murder argues convincingly that homicide is not just a macho pastime. Expect many sequels.”—Dennis McDougal, author of Mother’s Day and Angel of Darkness
“Mitzi Szereto’s expertise at assembling collections of true crime essays is on display in Women Who Murder, whose eclectic contents include stand-out essays by the likes of Cathy Pickens (a ‘Southern Gothic’ mystery) and Ciaran Conliffe, who explores the legendary Ruth Snyder case.”—Martin Edwards, Edgar-winning author of The Life of Crime
SO MUCH HAPPENING DURING SEPTEMBER WRITERLY GATHERINGS WITH ALCS AND OTHER FRIENDS
What a year this has been so far. New books have been published by members of the Society of Women Writers & Journalists, plus Brentwood Writers' Circle and articles and books from fellow journalists.
Also noted is some important news from our colleagues at the Authors' Licensing & Collecting Society linked to sponsorships, industry and other writerly news. Recently, the ALCS-sponsored Comedy Women in Print Prize has revealed its 2025 shortlist. Check out their web pages to learn more. https://www.alcs.co.uk/.
Lovely to hear that our ALCS Honorary President, Maureen Duffy, has been awarded the inaugural RSL Pioneer Prize from the Royal Society of Literature. It was a pleasure to meet her at one of our earlier meetings (pictured below at an ALCS evening at HoL with the late Jeffrey Howe.
The nominations for the 2026 Carnegies, the UK's longest-running children's book awards, are now open.
English PEN are hosting a series of events for International Translation Day on 30 September.
Author, freelance columnist. Latest book Amberley published BRENTWOOD IN 50 BUILDINGS is on Amazon & bookshops. Published work appears in Britain,USA and other overseas press & on-line. Following Freelance Writer of The Year award (Writing Magazine) my work has appeared in 81 titles and my FOLKLORE OF ESSEX contributed to Channel 5’s film COUNTY SECRETS. THE WOMAN WRITER was published by the History Press. This book outlines the history of the SWWJ’s 1894 foundation and includes our pioneering members in journalism, literature & poetry. Joyce Grenfell, former SWWJ President enjoys a special chapter. My books were reviewed in The Times and other dailies. As SWWJ’s archivist. I'm working on new historical research, contributing to on-line press, see my downloadable Kindle books. Also Facebook,Twitter & Amazon @sylviaakent & film/audio clips added. BARKING & DAGENHAM FROM OLD PHOTOGRAPHS and BRENTWOOD IN 50 BUILDINGS. I won an SWWJ scholarship and became a Fellow of the Society,winning the John Walter Salver two years consecutively. I am now President of Brentwood Writers Circle, broadcasting on PhoenixFM, BBC Essex &other radio stations.
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