I realised how little I know

This afternoon I met Julie and we went to hear the photojournalist, Syd Shelton, speaking at The Side Gallery in Newcastle. He has an exhibition on at the moment called Rock Against Racism.

I saw the exhibition briefly a few days ago and assumed it was photographed in the USA. How wrong can you be? 


Rock Against Racism was a campaign set up in the UK in 1976 as a response to an increase in racial conflict and the growth of white nationalist groups such as the National Front. The campaign involved pop, rock, punk and reggae musicians staging concerts with an anti-racist theme, in order to discourage young people from embracing racism. (Wikipedia)


Syd was involved from the very beginning. He described the campaign and showed a lot of his images from the time. He had also photographed in Ireland because he was concerned about the way the Irish people were the butt of derogatory jokes.

Some people in the audience had been to the concerts he talked about and had memories to share. It was altogether an enlightening afternoon.  I was a newly qualified doctor, working very long hours in hospital at the time. I slept when I was off duty and this all seems to have passed me by........... It just goes to show.

My extra is from earlier in the day when Hexham Embroiderers' Guild put on an open day of their work. Mum volunteered to be a steward and I left her wandering around with her walker, greeting and talking to visitors. Margaret, in the extra, is standing in front of three of her pictures. There was a lot of outstanding work on show.

(I was asked to take photos but not to include any faces........... I said I would do that, but, since it was a public event and I was not planning on selling the images, I could not see a problem. Anyway, Margaret was happy to be photographed.)