GET IN TOUCH

 RACING IN THE STREETS BLOG No. 10 @ The Brewery Arts Centre Kendal Saturday 3rd August 2024

 It’s not everyday you get yer accessible parking space taken by an AC/DC tribute band but it doesn’t phase us today or most days in fact cos it's just par for the course and my mate’s van is massive; full of nifty gadgets to make disability access as smooth as possible. Yeah, if they weren’t already, than that band’s on a highway to hell and at least we’d got a nice meal in before this annoyance happened.

Tonight we’ve just pulled into the Brewery Arts Centre Kendal for gig number 10 on the little Redundant Butties tour. I’m with my friends and fellow disabled poets Ste Unsworth and Maria Byrne. We always have a good laugh and to me every time I get into Ste’s van, instead of using public transport, I just love the van cos to me the van says we’re like the disabled A-Team “Soldiers of Fortune. Except we’re not wanted by the government and the socialistic structure but sod um anyway.”

For all the gigs so far, I’ve used public transport but for this one I'd asked my friends if they’d like to come along with a chance to perform. Also because the logistics of getting to the Lakes on public transport seemed trickier- booking an accessible taxi would have been necessary as there were no accessible hotels close to the venue. It was also quite close to the Durham gig just two days earlier which takes a lot of energy. I also really miss my little cat Minnie and wanted to see her and relax at home properly before doing the next gig so, it was a big help to have Ste and Maria as PA on the tour. I’ve been in my element doing the poetry in new places, mooching around as I go and hopefully selling a few books if lucky. Another big part of setting the tour up was to stop some of the frustrations that regularly pop up with mainstream environments and within poetry too. The- losing count of how many times you hear ‘sorry we don’t have a ramp,’ or ‘sorry we don’t have a toilet,’ or ‘sorry we don’t have access to the stage for you.’ In this regard I don’t think it’s unfair to say that disability has been left behind other issues.

In my opinion, disability discrimination is not treated as seriously as sexuality or race. Even from an economic viewpoint, I'd still say there’s 16 million disabled people in the UK so that's 16 million people who don’t have your custom in shops, bars, cafes, etc. It's baffling to me cos I’m sure in the long run any access alterations you put in would pay for themselves in the end but nevertheless you can only go with what you’ve got, hope it changes and take opportunities if they come.

As well as a boost for myself, I'd hoped as a spin off from the book tour, would be some pointers for wheelchair users trying to be involved in poetry in future. Each person’s disability is different, that has to be taken into account, but I was looking forward to seeing my friends perform too and to see them do it under less annoying and pressurised conditions, as I know they’ve experienced the same feelings and issues as me in the past. We stayed in a Premier Inn and as I've said before, Pemier Inn and Ibis tend to be a safe bet for decent access. Wetherspoons pubs also fit into this category too as safe bets for better access. I always think the reputation Wetherspoons have of being downmarket or cheap is unfair, of course they’re not 5 star cuisine but they do a job and most often provide what other places don’t. As a result the three of us headed to the Miles Thompson for pre-gig meal. The fried Korean chicken bowl also ensured I was inducted into the little hall of fame quirky quest Ste

and Maria have, which is to visit every Wetherspoons in the country. This ticked another off the list. The Miles Thomson used to be an old public washhouse and baths and had disabled lift access so it flies in the face of the excuse I often get that the building is too old to be altered. Onto the gig itself then. We all really enjoyed it. The hosting from Ann Grant was warm and very lively. She was approachable and had fun to keep the night flowing well, with loads of humour thrown in and a decent break at the end of the first half to chat with everyone. Maria Byrne is a deaf poet- @wigandeafpoet. She said that the having the words projected on a screen was a good idea and gave her extra confidence. Ste Unsworth said although the ramp was a bit awkward in his manual wheelchair, it was still doable and he seemed to buzz and be in the entertainer mode when he got up there. Whilst I didn’t have a problem myself, Ste did say he thought the toilets could have been a little easier to access but they were still manageable. I thought it was a great night. I especially liked the ‘Things Some Students Never See’ poem by Trystan Lewis and the ‘Harrowing Recollection of a Childhood Memory’ from Francis Prendiville. Special mention as well to Ann’s partner, Rana, who kindly got our drinks orders so we didn’t have to struggle getting through the crowds in the bar and event next door.

video links https://www.facebook.com/100079472773041/videos/1293271011649472/?rdid=w6Nh6y7FJ8StWGeO

https://www.facebook.com/100079472773041/videos/3706101226310661/?rdid=QXtyXGyYhUwghy5b

https://www.facebook.com/100079472773041/videos/pcb.484173240908431/830524895480467

From a personal point of view I was dead happy how I came across and always enjoy making people laugh, I even sold out of my books again and seeing my mates smash it too, was icing on the cake. I was also touched by the card Ann passed on to me for being August’s guest poet- it was a lovely, thoughtful gesture that I’ll keep to look back on in future. The next morning, I still felt giddy but a bit tired as all three of us went for breakfast together. Kendal is known for it’s postcard image but I'd recommend doing the night too. The Brewery was a good venue with friendly people to boot. I’ll look forward to being back there when I can and even had time to get my mum and my partner some Kendal mint cake.