Jay at Barracks Lane

On Saturday I visited the amazing Barracks Lane Community Garden.  As Jay’s written the garden was a toxic ridden waste-filled site which has been transformed by volunteers. It’s easy to write this but so incredible to achieve. Barracks Lane is an oasis behind the Cowley Road and the fact that the yurt was full to bursting the night I was there is a real testament to the volunteers that have made this place.

I’d come to see Jay performing and to feel closer to her residency and was also treated to peppermint tea grown in the gardens, home made cakes and fantastic music in the yurt.

Alan Buckley, of Hammer and Tongue fame with a collection published by Tall Lighthouse, hosted the evening and read some of his own poetry. He’s one of the organisers of the gardens, rescued me when I got lost at the allotments and gave me a history of Barracks Lane – his poetry’s pretty damn good too. Between beautiful acoustic music I also got to hear some of Jay’s poetry written in the gardens. It was so great to hear it, having followed it on the blog and I’m really looking forward to seeing her perform again with Iain Sinclair for Apples & Snakes at Soho Theatre.

Thanks to all for a lovely evening.