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RACING IN THE STREETS BLOG

No. 11 @ Appetite Big Feast Festival, Hanley Stoke
Friday 23rd August 2024

From Stoke On Trent train station, it’s quite a walk to Hanley town centre but the weather was on our side, the rain held off and it was a pleasant walk. I'd previously been fortune enough to perform at the Appetite Big Feast Festival as a part of a poetry duo with fellow Wigan poet Louise Fazackerly in 2019 as Odd Socks, and then again in 2022 as a trio with Natasha Tingle and Helena Ainscough, both North West poets, as Invisible Umbrellas, so the route felt fairly familiar to me now. This time it was a little different though for a few reasons; firstly, I'd be performing as myself and not under any show name, just as a solo performer, and secondly, my partner Khrissy had come along to watch and support me.

It's an amazing new experience for me to be able to say the word ‘partner’ and share all the things together that partners do and plan to do. I hadn’t realised fully how much calmer my brain would feel, just having another person there to chat and laugh with. The world’s crazy and it’s easier to share the load. I won’t bore people, labour it or OTT the point but just to say whilst my life was good and always decent as a single person, well now it's even better because the tendency to fester and worry, that I have is lessened by knowing there’s a perfect match for me and I’m not alone.

By the time we’d reached the Piccadilly stage in the centre of Hanley, there was a band playing which seemed made to match my giddy and ‘ready to perform’ mood but it was in fact for anyone and everyone who happened to be in the centre at 2.30pm. I’m glad the band was there and the weather, apart from being windy, was OK because the day had started ominously stressful. I’ve talked before in these blogs about public transport and the patterns that regularly crop up on the morning of the gig was the same.

For my friends with disabilities, I’m sure what I’m saying is nothing new. We’re used to being left on trains, or being forgotten about when trying to get on the train, or having no access on the replacement bus. As I waited for my train, I was told at the station I wouldn’t be able to get on as the scant 3 disability spaces were full. Now imagine that was yourself; how is this anywhere near being a fair system in 2024? Able bodied people have 100’s of seats and carriages on that train in comparison. How that can be passed off as progress is a disgusting joke.

What becomes very clear is that when an already crumbling, yet massively profit-making transport system cannot cope, then the disabled are the easiest ones to take the hit. It's never explicitly said but this is I believe is based on the assumption that we have nowhere to be, or any purpose to our days, so it doesn’t matter. I bit my nails and pleaded my case but this morning, what tipped that fragile balance was a combination of Creamfields Festival being on at the same time as understaffing and a reduction in running services. With respect though what have those things got to do with me? I'd bought my ticket like anyone else and have just as much right to get where I need to be. I know I have no sway in the circles that can affect real changes but I did have a job to do. I did have a time frame and I did have a partner and people in Stoke waiting for me. Everyone but King Charles in his carriage knows transport is an undependable mess but nobody should be in a position that’s as degrading and dehumanising as having to justify why they should travel even after buying a ticket. In the end after loads of discussion on a walkie talkie and telling me there’s nothing they could do if the guard decides not to let me on it turned out that there was a space next to another disabled lad who had to run the gaunlet of 2 more changes because no trains were going direct to Liverpool Limestreet.from Crewe Station 

Onto the gig itself- I really enjoyed it. There was a lot of thought gone into planning by the people at Appetite, so it felt like having a meet-up with a good friend again. I was on the same stage as last time in 2022. The stage had a ramp and after a little waiting around and brief chat with the sound and stage technicians, I was able to find a little chair to place my books on; a mainstay now of the other gigs, and a bit of tape to make sure my set list didn’t blow off on this very windy day. I was glad to see those same faces from previous years and also that there was an accessible outdoor stage, as I’ve had experiences in the past when it's just not been the case.

The event had a carnival feel which is nice as you never know who’s on the stage before you or afterwards, it could very easily be a magician followed by a brass band, so an amazing mixed bag. The only downsides to this are probably that spoken word outside can get a bit lost in the atmosphere or the weather conditions and it's hard to come across clearly and well. If people are there just to see what's on and wander off its fine but that can be a bit disheartening as opposed to a set poetry night in a venue when people are focussed solely on that. It's all down to personal preference though and in the end as long as the vibe is good, I don’t really mind where I perform or how many are listening.

When my slot was finished after around 35 minutes I felt fairly pleased. Probably not the best I'd done but, not the worst either I thought but then again my head always nitpicks my performances. I was dead happy my partner got to see me do the poems and also smiled because I'd decided to put the poem in that I'd done for Minnie, my cat, and the little routines we have so, I think Minnie would be happy as well.

Khrissy and I headed off to check in at the Hilton Garden Inn Hotel, just down the street and across the road. I'd recommend this hotel definitely as the room was big enough to comfortably get around with my electric wheelchair. The beds were low as well which some hotel chains don’t do. They’ll say accessible rooms but then make the beds so high you need to do the high jump which just seems daft. The bathroom and shower were also accessible, being a walk in wet room with shower chair and ample grab rails.

Hanley felt quite laid back, both in the daytime and night-time so we managed to find accessible places to eat. Khrissy is gluten free so there were also options here too if you need this. In my quest to be a fake Italian guy, at least until I open my mouth in a broad Wigan accent, we found a great little accessible restaurant called Bella Napoli. It was really convenient, on the main high street, not too expensive and lovely food. The next day we woke to see Maypole dance workshop setting up on the grass area outside the hotel and decided to have a look in the famous Potteries museum before we left.

In the museum I found that Stoke and the areas around it were Anglo Saxon and the region was known as Mercia, like my Nan’s name, but meaning people of the border lands. I found it interesting to see the treasures they’d found here and excavated over the years and I think in some ways, Stoke reminds me of Wigan; it’s got that grit, the strength of industry in its past and the pottery is everywhere. So it was a full and good weekend. We dodged the stormy weather and it turned out very well in the end, despite being refused travel on the train going and then forgetting to be put on the way back, it didn’t matter or spoil anything at all. I can’t wait to visit Stoke and the festival again in future, if the opportunity comes up!