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Shine magazine - I have become an editor - Leeds Older People’s Forum
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April 30, 2020

Shine magazine – I have become an editor

I have become an editor!

I’ve been creating a magazine called Shine that aims to share the stories of older people in Leeds, funded by Time to Shine. It’s being printed and delivered to the some of the most isolated older people in the city: those without internet access. Chapel FM were keen to interview me about the project so we arranged to talk, alongside Ruth Steinberg, one of our older contributors. Katy, the presenter, asked us beforehand how we wanted to be introduced. My colleague Ruth opted for ‘Storyteller’; I was at a loss. We had the idea for the magazine about five weeks ago as a response to the pandemic and subsequent lockdown. We’d originally been planning a film project with older people. In the intervening time we hadn’t stopped to consider titles. Ruth suggested ‘editor’ and we went with that.

So, it’s official, I’m an editor.

What does an editor do? This magazine is all about gathering stories by and about older people. And that’s what I’ve been doing.

Today I’ve spoken to a 99-year-old man who was born in Kashmir, moved to Leeds in 1952 and is a part-time film star! I’ve also spoken to a frankly brilliant community worker who is incredibly busy serving the needs of the older people where she works. I’ll turn both of these stories into articles for the magazine.

I’ve liaised with my co-conspirator Rob Pritchard about whether the article about a lion-tamer for issue 2 should be three pages or four. And I’ve set the schedule with the amazing Leeds Museums and Galleries for what subjects we’ll feature in our ‘Memories of Leeds’ feature over the next few issues. We’ll include The Who Live at Leeds, the introduction of decimalisation and the birth of the Leeds West Indian Carnival.

One of my jobs is to get the word out, to encourage older people to contribute to the magazine. Which is why I’m writing this.

Are you an older person with a story to share? Or are you supporting an older person, perhaps by delivering food or speaking to them on the phone? We’re looking for contributions: life stories, funny stories, hints of how to cope in this difficult time, memories, opinions, jokes, poems, pictures – just let us know. I’m happy to give you or the person you know a ring and help turn your stories into articles for Shine Magazine. After all, that’s an editor’s job. I think.

Tom Bailey Editor, Shine Magazine Hello@shinealight.org.uk 0113 2441697

Shine Magazine
PO BOX 908
Elland
HX1 9WF