Manchester Memories - Book Launch: A blog by Russ Cowper
Russ Cowper is a member of our Public and Community Involvement and Engagement Panel and was involved as a member of the advisory group for the Understanding Community Experiences in Greater Manchester during the COVID-19 pandemic Project.
The book was launched at Manchester University's Bicentenary Festival, on the Green; Alan Gilbert Square.
We were allocated a spot in what I can only describe as a dome. It was bright, airy and a little hippyish. I liked it a lot, it seemed the perfect place for the launch. Cake and drinks were available much to the delight of the delectable Shuhaney Lad and the YPAG team.
It was well attended with the book given away for free with one left on each chair. I am certain all those who read the book will enjoy it's diverse mix of stories, poetry, art and research quotations.
Steph Gillibrand, the engine behind the book took centre stage and opened by thanking everyone before handing over to the delightful Billie Meredith from Young Identity who compared the proceedings.
What followed was a number of poetry readings from various co authors of the book. All were well received and wholeheartedly applauded by the audience.
Billie then moved on to ask the audience if anybody had any COVID memories they wanted to share. It was really emotional and incredibly moving to hear people's testimonies. I'm sure a few years were shed, I know I had tears in my eyes.
Then contributors to the book we're asked about their experiences of being involved in it's creation. Again it was emotional and incredibly moving, but also inspirational and uplifting. Nasrine Akhtar spoke eloquently and with real passion about how important it was for her communities voice to be heard. John from the African Carribbean Health Network spoke about how important it was for his community to have a voice and he involved in research. Others spoke too about how important it was to them to be involved and elucidate their stories into words or art form.
Around the dome were posters of artwork included in the book and their was drawing equipment available for any attendees to do their own art or express their own words about what happened during that strangest of times.
Billie then brought us back to poetry and a number of further poems were read out. The last Goodbye was read out by Nahida Praveen, an incredibly powerful poem about her sister passing away. I don't think there was a dry eye in the dome. Nahida read it so beautifully you could feel what it meant to her personally. It was a beautifully moving moment which was wildly applauded.
We then changed tempo and had an outstanding display of African drumming and dancing. The dome rocked along to the rhythm of the drums. After the raw emotion of the earlier poetry the drumming I thought signified the renewal of society we witnessed post COVID. It was wonderful to see our very own Dr Sumaira Naseem dancing and smiling.
As for the book itself, it's a fantastic achievement and testimony to Steph's drive and Narine's vision that we have collated a quite magnificent collection of poems, stories and artwork. Well done to every contributor to the book, I believe it will stand the test of time and hopefully in a hundred years time people will still look at the book and read about what was the strangest of times and how the people of Manchester reacted to the times.
For me personally I am immensely proud of my contributions to the book and to see them realised in print is simply wonderful.
The book really is a a triumph over adversity, of humour and tragedy, plus a testament to the spirit and community mindedness of all Mancunians.
Published 22/07/2024