My Message To All Dyslexic People.

Ifield woman who used poetry to deal with dyslexia calls for it to be taught more widely in schools | Crawley News

I'm in The Crawley News! I've overcome dyslexia to become an award-winning poet, poetry performer and mentor.

Ifield woman who used poetry to deal with dyslexia calls for it to be taught more widely in schools | Crawley News

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Lucienne Kim Flavell Interveiws Scott Mills

Lucienne Kim Flavell Interviews Scott Mills

A coach arrived at Three Bridges train station to take me to The Metropolitan Hotel in Brighton where I would meet BBC Radio One presenter Scott Mills. I fished out the crumpled piece of paper from my coat pocket to recall the questions I had decided to ask him and felt a little flutter of excitement.

A lady greeted me in reception and led me up a grand staircase to a private area where Scott Mills was sitting. I looked around the small rectangular room; it was decorated with peach coloured fleur-de-lis wallpaper. There was a dark oak meeting table and a stand holding refreshments. Scott approached me with a smile and a handshake.

The previous night he had completed an abseil down The Orbit for BBC's Children in Need.
"My legs were shaking, my palms were sweating, my mouth was dry, oh, it was awful." he said recollecting the experience,  "It was so windy. The wind and height were awful."

Scott has completed many challenges to raise money for Children in Need in the past, including trekking across the Kaisut Desert. Now he was concentrating on fundraising for St James & St Peters Hospice.  We had both raised money for this charity;  I was up for auction offering an hour of poetry mentoring.

I said, "How did you start out as a radio presenter?"

Scott said, "I used to live in Southampton. For my first job I worked at a local radio station doing the graveyard shift which was midnight to six am - I think . Yeah, that's right until six am. I was sixteen at the time.  Anyway I used to play songs, play more songs than speaking. There are truck drivers and nurses and all sorts of people who listen at that time and they are a dedicated audience."

I said, "How do you plan a radio show? I know you do prank calls and games with Chris."

Scott said, "When it comes to prank calls you have to plan it carefully, sometimes you get a good call in ten minutes, other times it takes three hours. It just depends. Then of course you have to get their permission to use it. Sometimes they say no and it's a shame because some of them are really good. We have editors but they do give you a lot of creative freedom."

I said, "You have interviewed many stars like Mark Wahlberg."

Scott said, "Say you were Beyonce, I would make sure I write the questions. There is nothing worse than someone else writing the questions and then you read them like [confused face]."

I said, "What would you do if you were not a radio presenter?"

Scott said, "Even when I was a child I wanted to be one. I don't know what I would do; I have always done it."

Lucienne Kim Flavell Performs at Cheltenham Literary Festival: The UK All Stars Poetry Slam!

  Lucienne Kim Flavell Performs 

At Cheltenham Literary Festival: 

The UK All Stars Poetry Slam!

I arrived in Cheltenham only a few hours before the UK All Stars Poetry Slam started. There was just enough time to check in at my hotel and have dinner at Brassiere Blanc.

A lady welcomed me at the Parabola Arts Centre. She advised the show was sold out with 380 people attending. I was guided inside to join the group of poets who would be performing. I saw some familiar faces; poets who had appeared at the Ledbury Poetry Slam. It felt akin to comradeship as they came to hug and kiss me hello.

The UK All Stars Poetry Slam kicked off with The Proclaimers 'I'm Going To Be 500 Miles' song as Sarah-Jane Arbury and Elvis McGonagall danced onto stage. Sarah-Jane warmed up the audience by getting them to practice clapping, stamping, cheering and whistling. She said the show was being held here because the organizers at Cheltenham Literary Festival said we were too noisy to be in a tent!

Suddenly my introduction was read aloud, "Lyrics can lift one's heart, prose can make one think, and speeches can move one to action. Poetry can do all three. That is why I fell in love with it."

I stepped into the light. All my anxiety washed away. I was as comfortable performing to the crowd as I was practicing alone in my bedroom. I even laughed at my own jokes!

When I finished the audience burst into applause and stamped their feet. I was overwhelmed. It was great to hear my peers say how much I had improved my stage presence since Ledbury.

It was a fantastic evening. It's safe to say I have become a poetry slam addict. I can't wait until the next one!

Poetry Lessons: 1st Central's Auction Of Promises In Aid Of St Peters & St James Hospice

Poetry Lessons:
1st Central Auction Of Promises
In Aid Of St Peters & St James Hospice

I am giving up an hour to teach poetry to raise money for St Peters & St James Hospice. 1st Central Insurance will be holding an auction, where you can bid to win this and many other items including gift hampers, experience days, wine & beer, toys & games. The auction runs from 02/11/15 until 06/11/15 just in time for Christmas! Have a look at www.32auctions.com/1stcentral to see what you will enjoy. 

Cheltenham Literature Festival: The UK All Stars Poetry Slam

Cheltenham Literature Festival:
The UK All Stars Poetry Slam!

I have exciting news! I will be performing my poetry at The UK All Stars Poetry Slam as part of Cheltenham Literature Festival on Saturday 10th October at 7:30pm.

This will be my second public performance this year, this time at the UK's biggest literature festival. 

Poetry Lessons

Would you like poetry lessons from an award winning poet?

I offer: 

• Poetry workshops; 
• Individual tuition;
• Your poems critiqued or edited;
• Coaching toward GCSE or A level. 

To find out more, email Lucienne Kim Flavell at Lucienneflavellpoet@gmail.com