Angela King – författare

Ruffles looks different to other children - he is covered in blue fur. On his first day at school, the children are shocked by his appearance and tease him for it. Later, Ruffles tells his mum about his day and she offers him some good advice. This is a sweet little rhyming story about children learning to treat themselves and others with kindness and respect.

This volume comprises 190 poems by 133 poets: old favourites such as Tennyson’s ‘The Song of the Brook’ and Wordworth’s ‘Upon Westminster Bridge’ are joined by 20th century poetry from both sides of the Atlantic, with writers including A.R. Ammon, Wendell Berry, Carol Ann Duffy, U.A. Fanthorpe, Seamus Heaney, Ted Hughes, Andrew Motion, Sylvia Plath and William Carlos Williams. Poets muse on the particularity of rivers, use the river as a metaphor for life’s journey, from spring to the sea of unknowing, and explore the magical qualities of water, its transformations and patterns. Yet in Britain our rivers are still retreating from a post-war onslaught: the lowering of water tables, draining of water meadows, chopping down of trees and destroying wildlife habitats. This book reasserts the timeless importance of rivers to our environment, to the poetic imagination, and indeed to life itself.

A guide on how to start your own community orchard - from getting support and tackling legal issues to organising working parties and selling produce.Since the 1950s we have lost 63 per cent of our orchards through development or neglect, and even though we have been able to grow 3,000 varieties of apple in England, almost 70 per cent of apples we buy are imported. Common Ground has worked to interest local communities in creating and saving orchards to provide fruit and nuts, havens for wildlife and places of beauty. The Community Orchards Handbook shows how to start your own Community Orchard, from getting support and tackling legal issues, to organising work, selling produce and enjoying the fruits of your work together. It gives suggestions on ‘apple mapping’ and saving local varieties, and practical advice on planting, harvesting and safeguarding your orchard. It also includes a comprehensive resources section and is full of examples of diverse Community Orchard projects across the UK.