Jo Kirk, Author at Nailed - Belper Independent News

Opinion Column: On Populism

28th August 201930th August 2019 Jo Kirk 0 Comments Brexit, Ece Temelkuran, EU, populism

In Ece Temelkuran’s “How To Lose A Country: The Seven Steps From Democracy To Dictatorship” (4th Estate, 2019) Temelkuran problematizes

CULTURE OPINION

Review: Short Play Festival

29th May 2019 Jo Kirk 0 Comments Belper Arts Festival 2019, Short Play Festival

In a packed “Little Theatre” in the Old King’s Head there was an attentive audience for the Short Play Festival

NEWS OPINION

Book Review: The Nature of Spring by Jim Crumley

24th April 2019 Jo Kirk 1 Comment Book Review, Jim Crumley, The Nature of Spring

For a view from Northern Scotland and the Islands and a weather eye on the climate with a sensitivity to

CULTURE

Poetry: Kingfisher

26th February 201928th February 2019 Jo Kirk 1 Comment kingfisher, Nature, poetry

“My observations from a bridge overlooking the river Derwent on 18th February 2019.” Kingfisher by Jo Kirk I am

CREATIVE BELPER ENVIRONMENT

Poem: Birdwatch Hour

29th January 2019 Jo Kirk 0 Comments Jo Kirk, poetry, RSPB

Marking the end of the Big Garden Birdwatch run by the RSPB from 26th-28th January 2019, which asked members of

OPINION

Opinion: Protest To Save Babington Echoes Start Of Fightback

5th January 2019 Jo Kirk 2 Comments Babington, closure, Derwent Street, Hospital, NHS, Protest

‘SAVE BABINGTON HOSPITAL’ read the placards. Protests stopped the traffic and cars tooted their horns in support. Many people believe

OPINION

Was The Brexit Referendum Democratic?

19th November 2018 Jo Kirk 3 Comments Brexit, democracy

In “Democracy And Its Crisis” A C Grayling states that the proportion of the electorate that voted to leave the

ENVIRONMENT REVIEWS

Book Review: Rainforest, Dispatches from Earth’s Most Vital Frontlines

7th September 201810th September 2018 Jo Kirk 1 Comment Book, Dispatches from Earth’s Most Vital Frontlines, Literature, nature writing, Rainforest, Review

Rainforest is a personal story, drawing on Tony’s many years’ experience at the frontline of the fight to save the

CULTURE ENVIRONMENT

Book Review: Ground Work – Writings On People And Places

23rd August 20183rd September 2018 Jo Kirk 0 Comments Book, Common Ground, Ground Work, Jonathan Cape, Literature, nature writing, Review, Tim Dee, Writing on People and Places

We are living in the anthropocene – an epoch where everything is being determined by the activities of just one

CREATIVE BELPER CULTURE

Jo Kirk: Short Story ‘Keeping Cool’

29th July 201829th July 2018 Jo Kirk 0 Comments Creative, culture, Environment, fiction, Keeping Cool, Short Story, Summer, Writing

A green corner in the shade. She felt the cold stone bring relief to her feet. What a summer! The

ENVIRONMENT

Spring Observations: Jo Kirk

20th May 201820th May 2018 Jo Kirk 1 Comment Birds, May, Nature, Observations, Spring, starlings, Wildlife

I didn’t see any nuthatches last year so was delighted to see one early in March looking for insects on

CREATIVE BELPER

Celebrate Dylan Thomas Day With Nailed

11th May 201812th May 2018 Jo Kirk 3 Comments Dylan Thomas, Dylan Thomas Day, National Poetry Day, poetry, Submissions, Writing

May 14th is officially Dylan Thomas Day. It commemorates his life and work and is the 65th anniversary of Dylan

CREATIVE BELPER

Jo Kirk: Narcissi

1st April 2018 Jo Kirk 0 Comments 2018, Easter, Jo Kirk, Narcissi, poetry, Spring

Narcissi Trumpets unpleated from a bud, held tight their heads an elegant stretch their stems slender necks, drifting birds

ENVIRONMENT

Winter Observations: Jo Kirk

28th February 201828th February 2018 Jo Kirk 0 Comments Birds, buzzard, January, Nature, Observations, starlings, Wildlife, Winter

January and February are often the coldest months of the year and although snowdrops are flowering another cold spell is

ENVIRONMENT NEWS

Plastic Free February: Schools Library Service Presents New Exhibition

30th January 2018 Jo Kirk 0 Comments belper library, Books, DErby County Council, Exhibition, Library, plastic free, Reading, Recycling

The Schools Library Service has an exhibition of beautiful objects made from recycled materials which are currently on display in

ENVIRONMENT

Autumn Observations: Jo Kirk

26th November 2017 Jo Kirk 0 Comments Autumn, Birds, Nature, Observations, Wildlife

This autumn (late August – mid November) I have seen young collared doves, terns riding the thermals, a large black/brown

ENVIRONMENT REVIEWS

Book Review: The Plant Messiah by Carlos Magdalena

18th November 201721st November 2017 Jo Kirk 2 Comments Book, extinction, Jo Kirk, Kew Gardens, Review, The Plant Messiah

Having spent much of his childhood in the mountains of the Basque country, his mother a florist and a great

REVIEWS

Review: 60 Degrees North by Malachy Tallack

11th November 201711th November 2017 Jo Kirk 0 Comments 60 Degrees North, Book, Literature, Malachy Tallack, Review

At this time of year, as our thoughts turn to the North and the weatherman forecasts a weather front from

REVIEWS

Review: One in a MILLion Exhibition – Belper North Mill

14th October 2017 Jo Kirk 0 Comments Art, Belper North Mill, Exhibition, One In A MILLion

Twinkly guitar music plays in the basement of Belper’s North Mill as I look at the shimmering threads in a

CREATIVE BELPER

Jo Kirk: On Freedom

27th September 2017 Jo Kirk 0 Comments #nationalpoetryday, 2017, Jo Kirk, National Poetry Day, poetry

On Freedom When I think of freedom I think of birds and words for we live in language and

ENVIRONMENT

Birds, Moths and Amphibians

22nd August 2017 Jo Kirk 0 Comments Amphibians, Birds, Birdwatching, Moths, RSPB, Spotting, Wildlife

Birds are perhaps our closest meeting with the wild and may be the reason why the RSPB (Royal Society for

ENVIRONMENT FEATURED OPINION

Well Worth Celebrating

18th July 201718th July 2017 Jo Kirk 0 Comments Belper, Community, Display, River Gardens, Traditional, Well Dressings

This weekend’s Well Dressings at the River Gardens provided a wonderful outdoor gallery of creative endeavour as people ambled down

BELPER GOES GREEN CREATIVE BELPER

Belper Goes Green Poem: Festival

15th June 2017 Jo Kirk 1 Comment Belper Goes Green Poem. Festival, Creative, Creative Writing, Poem, poetry

Butterfly mandalas and colours and lights and pancakes and oatcakes and tee-shirts and bikes and badges and raffles and

CREATIVE BELPER ENVIRONMENT

International Dawn Chorus Day: Birds At Dawn

9th May 2017 Jo Kirk 0 Comments Birds, Birdwatching, Poem

The short poem was written while I was listening to Radio 4’s six and a half hour broadcast of birdsong

CREATIVE BELPER POLITICS

Election Special: Zeitgeist

26th April 201722nd April 2017 Jo Kirk 0 Comments 2016 General Election, Election, Vote, Voting

General election electorate inspection Brexit for the nation remainers’ consternation Scotland losing patience Europe fearing racists May wants

CREATIVE BELPER ENVIRONMENT

Fracking Month: Spell

7th April 2017 Jo Kirk 0 Comments Envrionment, fracking, poetry

N is for nature, wondrous and wild, O for the ozone that nearly retired, F for forget-me-not, fennel and furze,