top of page

Other Stuff

Project management

Brenda has a Prince 2 project management qualification, and a great deal of experience in managing projects, in both the arts and commercial worlds.

 

Brenda’s arts project management experience includes:

  • Programmes Manager - ArtShape, Gloucester

  • Reader and Literature Development Officer for Herefordshire

  • The Reading Agency – Project manager for Fulfilling their Potential implementation, North West region; Yorkshire and Humberside region; South West region.

  • Poetry on Loan – Project manager for Throwaway Lines project, putting poetry on refuse trucks in Herefordshire.

  • Referrals Manager for Artlift, 2015 – 2017

  • Co-ordinator of Poetry on Loan, 2008-1022. Poetry on Loan promotes contemporary poetry through libraries in the West Midlands.

 

Brenda has managed a number of the projects on which she has worked - determined aims and objectives, devised the project / action plan, conducted risk assessments, managed budgets, conducted and analysed evaluations, written final reports and recommendations.

Black Elders 2008 003.jpg

Such projects include:

  • Reader in Residence for the Third Age, Worcestershire.

  • Reader in Residence for Young People, Gloucestershire.

  • Writer / project co-ordinator for Reading Arts’ Young Reviewers Project.

  • Writer in Residence for Dorset, October 2005 - June 2006. This included co-ordinating tutors, venues and publicity for six 10-week creative writing courses (one of which I delivered) and six masterclasses for adults; running 6 full days of creative writing workshops for children; devising and creating a creative writing training pack for teachers and running teachers’ training sessions.

  • Reader in Residence, Booktrust Bookscapes project, 2005-2006, working with young mums-to-be to develop a creative response to reading.

  • Reader in Residence for Gloucestershire WI Big Read project.

  • Apollo project (writing poems with patients and carers at Cheltenham Hospital Oncology Unit), 2008 – present.

​

joearmer 056.jpg

Training

During her business career, Brenda ran training courses for all levels of staff, from order pickers to managing directors. Since 2001, she has devised and run many courses for library staff (with The Reading Agency and with Poetry on Loan), for hospice workers, nursery school staff, and for poets.

 

She also devised a Technical Writing Skills course, which she ran 17 times for GCHQ staff.

 

Interviewing

Brenda has interviewed a number of people at Literature Festivals, including Terry Pratchett (twice – “The best interview I have ever had”), Simon Hoggart, Magnus Magnusson, Andrew Smith and Michael Buerk.

 

And…

Directing plays: Brenda has achieved considerable success in directing plays with her local amateur drama society.

Event management:… including the first New Zealand National poetry slam.

Board membership: Brenda is a Trustee of Ledbury Poetry Festival.

​

bottom of page