An Evening with Gervase Phinn

Wentworth WI welcomed us to their October meeting to enjoy 'An Evening with Gervase Phinn' and we were not disappointed.

The 'man' himself

Professor Gervase Phinn taught in a range of schools for fourteen years before becoming an education adviser and school inspector. He is now a freelance lecturer, broadcaster and writer, a consultant for the Open University, Honorary Fellow of St. John's College, York and the Fellow and Visiting Professor of Education at The University of Teesside. He has published many articles, chapters and books and edited a wide range of poetry and short story collections. 

He entertained us for over an hour with a wide range of stories - from his own childhood in Rotherham, his teaching days as well as his visits to schools as an inspector.  He is fiercely proud of Rotherham and is very 'angry' at how children in the Borough have been 'let-down' by those who should have cared for them - something we all agreed with.  We all loved his poem dedicated to his much-loved Mother and many members were moved to tears.  

The evening finished  with us being able to buy signed copies of his new book as well as back copies of others.

Many thanks Wentworth for a really enjoyable evening of hospitality  - we had a fantastic evening  listening to a 'born raconteur!'

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