After almost a year’s hard study, I handed in my last assignments last week. Hooray. Now I just have to wait for the marking and then, hopefully, in the autumn, a graduation. I certainly feel that my writing has improved a bit rubbing up against some really talented young writers. Following the submissions, we all celebrated our achievements with a lovely sunny picnic on our university campus. What a lovely weather!

As you can see from most of the above photographs, I have been by far the oldest student. Old enough to be the mother of most of the above. But, as they say, it’s never too late to learn. I have learnt so much about many things, particularly punctuation and ‘show and not tell’ – I’ll try and remember, Duncan! The course has also started me down the path to writing up my memoirs for my boys, having realised that there is so much about my parents childhoods that I never learnt and now never will. I also have had the privilege of learning about so many well known poets and writers in our beautiful county of Gloucestershire, both past – Ivor Gurney, the Dymock Poets, Laurie Lee and present – Angela France, Adam Horovitz. I have enjoyed reading many books I might not have otherwise thought to read and read some I don’t wish to read again, but I feel the wiser for the process. Now as we all go our separate ways in the world, I’m not sure where my writing will take me next. Suffice it to say that this last year has been both an interesting, rewarding and useful experience. I have also got to meet some amazing people for which I am truly grateful.