Working on the fountain

Yesterday I travelled back after a couple of weeks holiday in France. On the train I suddenly became very aware that the Different Moons exhibition at the Whitaker, which seemed ages away when I left, is now going to open in only 8 or 9 weeks time! I checked my diary and reminded myself that work on the fountain, which is one of the larger elements that go to make up the exhibition, should start next week. Time enough, but tight in my estimation...especially when there's so much else to be done.

Today I'm back in the Horse + Bamboo workshop and find that Phil Milston has made amazing progress already! The fountain 'pool' area has been made, and we've had the decorative side panels laser cut to his design. Phil is now busy assembling the structure - and it's already beginning to look very special indeed. 

I'm now going through the 700 plus emails in my in-tray. Most - of course - are destined for the Trash folder, but there are plenty from Shamshad Khan who has been working with Habiba Shenza on workshops for the Girls Group led by Lisa Amin on Saturday mornings at Haslingden Library. Plenty of planning work has also been done on sorting a poem for the paper-cuts by Maryam Golbeva, as well as the next round of workshops at the Supplementary School. 

So, all in all, a very pleasant welcome for me after a great break. 

Samina Hussain

Yesterday we interviewed Samina Hussain about her life and work for the Different Moons archive. Samina was born in Karachi, and had been an air-stewardess with Pakistan International Airlines when she came to England, having married Mazhar Hussain in the early 1980s. 

Samina was surprised to find that, when she first arrived in Rossendale, the Asian women she met in Haslingden 'stayed in the house' and there were no opportunities for them to participate in social gatherings. She went about changing this; starting by organising an Eid get-together for women and their children. This was very successful and went on to develop into regular events including mushiara, poetry meetings that brought important poets to Haslingden - meetings that often went on late into the night, and encouraged local women to take up writing for themselves.

Samina is passionate about her community, particularly the potential for the women of her community. She has won awards, has worked as a JP, a college lecturer, and writes under the pen-name Riffat. She read one of her Urdu poems and another of her written pieces for our archive recording. She now works as a broadcaster for Asian Radio. 

Above Shamshad Khan (in red) and Habiba Shenza interview Samina.