Writer in Residence

In September 2005 Jeanne Ellin was appointed to the post of Writer in Residence, working primarily at Roxburghe House, Aberdeen.

Jeanne’s remit is wide and varied but mainly focussed on the use of writing and conversation to engage and assist patients, relatives and staff at Roxburghe House to express their own narratives, both written and spoken.

This has been a busy and stimulating year discovering just where a writer can be useful within such a busy clinical setting.  I wanted to be a resource and offer a creative perspective throughout Roxburghe House and within Aberdeen Royal Infirmary to a more limited extent.  This has been reflected in work that ranged from offering creative exercises during a seminar for chaplains within Grampian to committees for Art in Hospitals, from bereavement literature to developing a training game with the education department.  I have also helped to script a training video made for medical students. 

In my role as Writer in Residence I have written for and with a range of individuals and worked with staff and patients on developing their own writing.  In partnership with Kathy Kindness, Psychologist, and Margaret Ritchie, Neuro Oncology Nurse I have developed image work which could be used with patients whose verbal skills may have been compromised.

GHAT’s outreach project enabled me to work with WEA students who had difficulty accessing mainstream classes.  I have been involved with exhibition openings in the GHAT Gallery and have performed in Word – University of Aberdeen Writers Festival.  Next year promises to be even fuller and I look forward to it.

Jeanne Ellin
Writer in Residence

On Learning to Write

In October 2005 I met Jeanne Ellin by accident – one of those coincidences but I wonder if it was “meant to be”. At that time I wrote only to capture my thoughts, certainly not for anyone else to see. Indeed I had shown my writing to almost no-one.

Jeanne “took me on” and has tutored, mentored, coached, supported and encouraged me and I now feel able to reveal some of my writing. Jeanne has taught me many things, too many to list, but in relation to writing she has taught me that I have to have something to say, she has helped me find ways to work out what it is I want to say and she has somehow given me confidence – none of that is as simple as it sounds!

Instead of Words (for Moraig Leys)
by Elaine Mottram

One stunning auburn curl
Such a thin body
So still and neat
Silent, vicious activity
Hidden and unseen

One shining auburn curl
Safer than exploring her face
Than looking into her eyes
But what can I say
That means goodbye

One splendid auburn curl
An outstretched hand
For me to touch
A first and last time
Instead of words.

The Writer in Residence is supported by the Friends of Roxburghe House.