OUT OF SIGHT - OUT OF MIND

Action Against Homelessness. This is an article I wrote as a direct action taken to re-open a government re settlement unit which was closed, and homeless people were made homeless.
This was in June 1991. In september 2006 which is 16 years later... whats new?

BAFTA FRIDAY 15 JULY 1994

On the 15 july1994, I attended this BAFTA presentation. A group of Film students from the University of Westminster filmed and videod 2o minutes of film on how homeless people and people with homeless experiences were able to share there experiences to show others how there lived there lives in the streets and survived.

THEY TRIED TO DESTROY MY BRAINS BUT - HARD LUCK, THEY COULDN'T!

In 1969 after discusions with psychiatrists doctors and my mum and dad, it was desided to give me a full front labotamy. The reasons were given that it would stop me from being violent and drinking. It was said that it wasnt a dangerous operation it took ten minutes. I signed the paper to have it done, I was taken to the Brook hospital from Cane Hill. Two days before I had my operation a guy at 24 years died of the same operation. I heard them lying them out. I tried to leave tthe hospital, they wouldnt let me. On the day of my operation, one of the nurses came in on her day off to go down to the operating theatre with me.

The actual operation took three and a half hours and I believe it didnt work as I drank three weeks afterwards. I got access to my medical records after eighteen years in red letters it said that 'this operation was done for social control and it was a success'

A DEPUTATION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS RE-HOUSING

This is an article written about special housing needs after the deputation of people. We had a meeting in the Grand Chamber of the House of Commons. The photo is of MP John Battle and myself on the green outside the House of Commons.

BE STILL

This is the CD called "Be Still" words by James Nelson; music written and performed by Cosmo (Flannel); Ed, Nuala and Dougie (Headmix). performed by Headmix. Nelson's Column Records 2001.

This can be bought for £6.00, if you would like to buy a copy send me an email on diamondgeezer72@hotmail.com

BOOK LAUNCH

This is Annika and me in Fly Press a printing shop in Brixton having a nater and a cup of tea and a smoke.













This is me an Annika a Dutch friend in the rose garden in Kennington Park in 1983. This rose garden is special to me as my mother used to wheel me around this park and garden in a pram when I was a baby.







This is yours truly with my books displayed in a day centre for the homeless in South London in June 1994











These two photos where taken by Erwin Olalf in Amsterdam Holland as part of the publicity for the Dutch translation in 1983.













These are photos of theDutch at the launch of the Dutch version of No More Walls in Rotterdam in 1983.

We also had a book launch in Amsterdam.







This is Roland, who actually did the translation

NO MORE WALLS

The original manuscript I wrote between 1973 and 1976. It has 60 ,000 words in capital letters on 300 fullscap sheets of paper with no paragraphs, full-stops, or commas. We as a collective, discussed the layout of the book and I had a hand in every procedure from writing to distribution. It sold 2000 copies in 1978 and it got to number 4 out of the top 5 in the first 4 to 5 months.







This is the updated 2nd Edition of "No More Walls." In 1984 it sold 1000 copies. It has been translated into Japanese, Dutch, and German, but not published in Germany.

The idea of the cover of the book was all my life I've had a closed mind. The picture shows an image of me walking into the sunlight of the spirit. 36 years of my life was spent enclosed in walls of instutions and emotional walls to protect myself.

No More Walls is availiable to buy for £12.50. If you would like to purchase a copy, please go to the website: www.lulu.com/content/482697
there is a download version for £9.18 or a paperback book version for £12.50