To celebrate the release of ‘We Come From the Sun’, join Cerys Matthews, Lemn Sissay, MA.MOYO, Anthony Anaxagorou and Hidden Orchestra for a Zoom Q&A – 15th January, 7pm GMT hosted by Rough Trade.

This launch event chaired by BAFTA nominated, award-winning writer Lemn Sissay is an exclusive chance to unpick the stories behind this unique blend of voices from 10 leading UK artists: MA.MOYO, Raymond Antrobus, Lemn Sissay, Liz Berry, Anthony Anaxagorou, Kayo Chingonyi, Adam Horovitz, Cia Mangat, Imtiaz Dharker and Kim Moore. 

Discover how Cerys Matthews and Hidden Orchestra collaborated with musicians and sound artists from all over the world to create this album in unprecedented times from recording at Abbey Road Studios to remotely during lockdown. 

Pre-order the album from Rough Trade for tickets – Details here:https://dice.fm/event/6pyo3-cerys-matthews-live-qa-15th-jan-stream-via-london-london-tickets?pid=664cedfb&_branch_match_id=849673436402153964

There’s something magical about Christmas, and the stories told about it… We’ve had – Dylan Thomas’ ‘A Child’s Christmas’ , Clement Clarke Moore’s ‘The Night Before Christmas’ and now, we have Liz Berry’s ‘Christmas Eve’.

Set in her native Black Country, with snow whirling around the high rises, there’s a plaster-cast Mary for the nativity scene, and Christmas toys and bikes being wrapped for the big day…

A tale for a modern world told in Black Country lilt recorded at Abbey Road studios, with winter music by Cerys Matthews and Hidden Orchestra. Artwork by Paul Chessell. 

https://cerysmatthews.lnk.to/WCFTSSo

I was asked to read this excerpt from a letter written by a widow who believed the body of the unknown warrior was that of her missing and deceased husband. It was part of the remembrance service at Westminster Abbey to mark the centenary of the burial of the Unknown Warrior on Armistice Day, Wednesday 11th November 2020.

Here is a link to highlights of the service (my reading is at 15 minutes 20)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000pbfg/unknown-warrior-100-2-highlights

The author of the letter  is anonymous- but more of it is included in this book:

Bryn Arw – Bracken Cutting

Bryn Arw is a long, majestic hill in the shadow of the Sugar Loaf, near Abergavenny in the Black Mountains on the eastern edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park, South Wales.

In recent weeks, a 300 metre long message has been emerging on the bracken covered hillside, to the wonder of walkers, motorists and train passengers.

What does it mean?

‘DAW ETO DDAIL AR FRYN’ is Welsh for ‘There will be leaves on the mountain again.’ The words reference an uplifting line of poetry made popular across Wales during lockdown – ‘Daw eto haul ar fryn’, which means ‘There will be sunshine on the mountain again’.

‘STUMP UP FOR TREES’ / ‘CEINIOGI’R COED’ is an ambitious, developing local charity focused on woodland creation and improving biodiversity in the area. The charity is planting one million trees on steep bracken banks and marginal agricultural land, using innovative public-private funding initiatives.

Land Art

The letter cutting project has been co-ordinated by Welsh artist, Mick Petts, who has spent many years creating large scale public artworks from natural materials. He says he likes to ‘encourage people to see an artwork through the soles of their feet, as well as their eyes’.

Mick’s projects include brownfield sites like Garden Festival Wales at Ebbw Vale, Parc Penallta near Ystrad Mynach and many other sites across the South Wales valleys. His work has been incorporated into many conservation projects – The Millennium Coastline Project in Llanelli, Kew Gardens, Hiller’s Arboretum and several for The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust across the UK.

Mick Petts said: ‘Bryn Arw gives us a massive billboard to help us get the planting message out there. Wales is leading the world with the first Future Generations Act, and it follows that we should also be leading in environmental action. It’s time to get practical and redress the huge and embarrassing lack of tree planting in Wales.’

For more information go to http://www.stumpupfortrees.org/