Guest Posts - Janine Booth

Patriotism

a guest poem by Vicky Thomas St George is cross. The soldier saint says He’s at a loss To understand these days. You who take his flag And use his name As some kind of brag – He is ashamed. … Read more

Guest poem: FFS

A guest poem by Josey Robinson

What Most People Think

(Ode to Lee Anderson) When I said I hated men dressed in pink And that women should be tied to the kitchen sink I wasn’t being a prat, a bigot or fink I was simply saying what most people think … Read more

Language Studies student analyses poem, ‘p.p.e.’

Language Studies student Fiona Wilson wrote this analysis of Janine’s poem ‘p.p.e.’ for her degree, scoring a distinction. Introduction This final piece of work, the EMA in fulfilment of the module, asks we students to consider the question “What … Read more

Fucking Tanks

A guest poem from Spoaken Word Lewes regular open mic’er Fred The Ninja. Thanks Fred. === I owe my very existence to Russian fucking tanks. If my dad had not run from them 66 years ago in Hungary, … Read more

Practical Humanistic Models for Supporting Autistic People in Distress: time for a paradigm shift?

a guest post by Ian Hutchinson, autistic clinician – NHS children’s services, Cornwall Thinking about practical humanistic models for supporting autistic people in distress, time for a paradigm shift? Over recent years and in service provision ranging from education and … Read more

Guest post: Looking back … and forward.

A personal reflection from my dad, prompted by the last line of my poem, Bristol’s Brilliant Bus Boycott (1963). Back in the spring, after nearly losing his life to coronavirus, the prime minister abruptly declared himself a convert to anti-obesity … Read more

Janine’s Neurodiversity training: a student’s view

Neurodiversity in the Workplace training workbook

Thank you to Colette Marquess, a PCS union representative in Belfast, for writing this report after attending the Neurodiversity in the Workplace course run by Janine. To book a course with Janine, click here. I recently attended a 2-day course … Read more

Remembering 1945

I spoke with my dad (pictured) about his memories of the 1945 general election … 75 years ago when I was seven, I experienced the first of 22 general elections in my life. My father, Albert Booth, was born in … Read more

Guest post: ‘Autistic-friendly’ employers may not be what they seem

There is an increasing number of companies which explicitly employ autistic people, promising to value their work and provide suitable working conditions. This has been widely welcomed. But what are the experiences of autistic workers in these companies? On this … Read more

Guest post: Autistic Workers and Trade Unions

by PCS rep, Helen Sheridan Never give a trade unionist a platform if you want to get away on time. I hope you’re all sitting comfortably. For anyone who cares about these things, my name is Helen Sheridan and I … Read more

Guest post: Veronica writes from her bed …

The first of what I hope will be a regular feature, this guest post is from Veronica. I just wanted to say how very much I am enjoying your blog. I was diagnosed with grade 3 invasive ductal cancer in … Read more