We nearly didn't make it to Liverpool

Dear Debs

the tyre came to an end at the side of the M62

I enjoy the challenge of teaching offenders, young or old, in a PRU or a secure mental health unit, or wherever. You may remember when we did a gig in the Wakefield Secure Unit, and you all said we shouldn't play "Mad World". Well, I also taught there for a while. Their education officer was a neighbour of mine, whose tragic life ended two years ago in a house fire on our back street.

My experience of working with this wonderful and imaginative woman was the difficulties she faced not just with the inmates, but with her colleagues, who did not altogether support her various initiatives. Such is the unprofessionalism sometimes, of the professions. 

But not at all these wonderful people whom I met in Manchester and Liverpool.

Anyway, Debs, having done a stint in Manchester last month with TIPP [Theatre in prisons] I was invited to do it again in Liverpool. Well that's my home town, and my university town. What could stop me?


Debs, the tyre on the M62 nearly did.

Anyway, after Rick safely got us onto the hard shoulder [and thank goodness there still was one at this point of the M62], I stopped being worried about life itself, and started to irritated about being wet, getting my suede shoes wet, and being late.

The tyre repair man was cheerful, helpful and efficient.

We got to Knotty Ash 40 minutes late, having started off 90 minutes early! The Liverpool staff were as supportive and on the ball as the Manchester ones, so, despite this shaky start, we played our tunes, and ended, by request, with Rivers of Babylon, for which I played the tune quite badly.