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Our guest today is writer Ralph Dartford who works for the National Literacy Trust and is the poetry editor of literary journal Northern Gravy. Ralph kindly made the journey from Bradford to the Lockwood residence in Sheffield, and we settled down in my living room with mugs of tea and a plate of biscuits, surrounded by books and looked down upon by at least three pictures of Larkin. Ralph also co-organises the fantastic Louder Than Words festival that takes place in Manchester every autumn, and is a celebration of writing about music. They gather together amazing writers, broadcasters and musicians to discuss, explore and debate all things music and music industry related. I hope we will continue to see Ralph at more PLS events.Larkin poems mentioned:The Whitsun Weddings, Dockery and Son, Mr Bleaney, For Sidney Bechet, High Windows, Cut Grass, To The Sea, MCMXIV, Here, BroadcastAll What Jazz: A Record Diary 1961-1971 (1985) by Philip LarkinThe Oxford Book of Twentieth Century English Verse - ed. Philip Larkin (1973) I am happy to see Mr. Larkin's taste in poetry and my own are in agreement ... I congratulate him most warmly on his achievement. - W. H. Auden, The GuardianPoets/writers/musicians mentioned by RalphKae Tempest, Joelle Taylor, Ted Hughes, Seamus Heaney, Vicky Foster, Steve Ely, Chris Jones, Ian Parks, John Betjeman, John Cooper Clarke, John Hegley, Simon Armitage, Carol Ann Duffy, Michael Stewart, Blake Morrison, Count Basie, John Coltrane, Sidney Bechet, Alan Bennett, Stewart Lee, David Quantick, Ray Davis, Blur, Van Morrison, Hang Clouds, Evelyn Glennie, Kingsley Amis, Andrea Dunbar, Helen MortOther references:Adlestrop (1914) by Edward Thomas https://www.edwardthomaspoetryplaces.com/post/adlestropArthur Scargill: “Arthur Scargill, the miners' leader and socialist, once told The Sunday Times, ‘My father still reads the dictionary every day. He says your life depends on your power to master words.” Martin H. Manser, The Penguin Writer's ManualBob Monkhouse https://www.theguardian.com/news/2003/dec/30/guardianobituaries.artsobituariesLongbarrow Press https://longbarrowpress.com/Valley Press https://www.valleypressuk.com/Kes (1968) by Barry HinesRalph is Poetry Editor for Northern Gravy https://northerngravy.com/Ralph reads Geese and England's Dreaming from House Anthems https://www.valleypressuk.com/shop/p/house-anthemsGareth Southgate https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-57816651 Simon Armitage Larkin Revisited Radio 4 https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/m0019yy2Nick Cave- Honorary Vice President for the Philip Larkin Society- Desert Island Discs https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0027cglLyn's English teacher 1982-1989 https://petercochran.wordpress.com/remembering-peter/The Ted Hughes Network https://research.hud.ac.uk/institutes-centres/tedhughes/James Underwood https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/early-larkin-9781350197121/Albums mentioned:OK Computer (1997) by Radiohead , Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) and The White Album (1968) by The Beatles, Park Life (1994) by BlurSummertime in England by Van Morrison https://www.vice.com/en/article/summertime-in-england-a-monologue-on-van-morrison/Events:https://louderthanwordsfest.com/"My Friend Monica": Remembering Philip Larkin's Partner Monica JonesSat 22 Mar 2025 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM Ken Edwards Lecture Theatre 2, University of Leicester, LE1 7RHhttps://www.tickettailor.com/events/literaryleicester/1538331A celebration marking 70 years of Philip Larkin's 'The Less Deceived'For World Poetry Dayhttps://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-celebration-marking-70-years-of-philip-larkins-the-less-deceived-tickets-1235639173029?aff=oddtdtcreatorProduced by Lyn Lockwood and Gavin HoggPlease email Lyn at plsdeputychair@gmail.com with any questions or commentsPLS Membership, events, merchandise and information: philiplarkin.com
Poet Ian McMillan has a gift for the art of small pleasures; the joy of close observation; revelling in everyday things, places and encounters; describing and re-describing them endlessly. In the company of fellow poets Helen Mort, Steve Ely and Dave Green he takes us to ordinary places that fascinate him: a railway platform with a striking red bench, on a bus journey, to a village cafe, and a local museum of curiosities; where we discover they can be portals into different ways of thinking, of feeling, and of being, where anything can happen, where the ordinary can become the extraordinary if we simply open our eyes and our ears. Presented by Ian McMillanProduced by Cecile Wright
Pastor Steve Ely continues as the guest in this episode of Next Step Leadership with Tracy Reynolds and Chris Maxwell. As mentioned last week, Steve serves as the Director of Clergy Development for the International Pentecostal Holiness Church. He's also the author of Climate Change, a book about the climate of today's Christianity. In this conversation Steve tells the story of his own healing process from the stress, tension, and pressure of life in leadership and ministry. His heart attack almost ended his life. He lived, but it forced him to take a sabbatical, see a counselor, and make major decisions. He had been internalizing perfectionism and the pressure of ministry. He had to come out of his isolation and pursue healthy relationships. Isolation is the number one factor causing ministers to seek leaving the ministry. Listen to Steve's honesty. Read his book. Seek help. Now is the time to seek help. Climate Change book - https://www.amazon.com/Climate-Change-Calming-Lifes-Storms/dp/1960024345/IPHC Clergy Development - http://phpastor.org/
Chris Maxwell and Tracy Reynolds enjoyed their conversation with Steve Ely. Steve is the Director of Clergy Development for the International Pentecostal Holiness Church. He has pastored a local congregation and served in various roles of ministry through the years. In his present position, Steve hopes to offer care and encouragement to clergy across the IPHC fellowship. Steve is also an author. His new book is titled Climate Change. Steve hopes to change today's life climate by caring for ministers and helping them become better in their vocation. What about you? Do you need a climate change? Do you feel like you've done all you can do? Are you unsure about how you can make a difference? Listen to Steve Ely's heart as he tells his story revealing what God has done in his life and why his present role is so vital in these days of leadership stress and pressure. Climate Change book - https://www.amazon.com/Climate-Change-Calming-Lifes-Storms/dp/1960024345/IPHC Clergy Development - http://phpastor.org/
In this episode, Steve and I talk about leadership lessons he has learned through different areas and seasons of ministry. We also discuss ministry resources and opportunities for pastors, and end our conversation examining his brand-new book (Climate Change: God's Plan for Calming Life's Storms) and podcast (Pastor Pause).Quotes for Notes:“Sometimes we confuse energy for anointing.”“Everybody needs a coach and everybody needs a counselor.”“Silence (from God) is not permission to quit.”Links:https://phpastor.orghttps://flourishinginministry.orghttps://www.careforpastors.orghttps://www.rplnish.orghttps://shop.barna.com/products/the-resilient-pastor Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Climate-Change-Calming-Lifes-Storms-ebook/dp/B0CSMD2Q7B/Print: https://www.amazon.com/Climate-Change-Calming-Lifes-Storms/dp/1960024345/ All major podcast platforms: Pastor Pause https://open.spotify.com/show/1aUI6pTarYXsG4eichHS7g?si=de969fcb1ec547d7