There was a line of people coming in the other direction equally as determined not get to their destination too soon. So, once I had settled into a comfortable pace, what was I to do with all this spare time? My main strategy was to use my senses. I looked at the people coming towards me, why were they doing this walk? To be part of something extraordinary, to test themselves, for a laugh, just to see what would happen, to meditate? I became very familiar with the door and the windows of the café, with the ground immediately ahead of me and with the Droit House clock ticking away each of the five minutes it took to walk a flag stone. I listened to the seagulls squawking and every now and then, sparrows twittering and, to the silence amongst all these people. I smelt the sea.

There was a feeling of slight panic when the two lines came closer and closer and we had to work out how to pass between each other, as the flag stones were not very wide. My dance training kicked in and I used my épaulement (twisting the torso from the waist upwards with one shoulder back and the other forward) as this reduced the amount of space my body needed. Others jumped, squeezed and shuffled through. Once clear there was a communal sense of relief.

My new view, for the last half hour, was that of the café and diners arriving for an evening meal. They were greeted by a wall of people walking very slowly towards them. Some of the diners looked intimidated and changed seats so that they couldn’t see us, others embraced the experience and took photos and filmed the event with their phones. After acknowledging all of this activity, I decided to look down so as not to be distracted from the ‘walk’ and the last few minutes of the experience.  With one minute to go I was up against the glass wall of the café, pacing from one foot to the other until the claxon sounded. We turned to the centre in unison and there was spontaneous applause.

How could one hour have disappeared so quickly? On reflection, I realised that you don’t have to sit still to meditate, the mind can ‘relax’ through a simple activity for a sustained period of time. The overwhelming sense of calm has stayed with me for days.

Frances

Hamish Fulton – walking artist – http://www.hamish-fulton.com/

NTW was set up in 2009.  Its aims are to produce bold, surprising, invigorating theatre in unexpected places and for me; this last point was one of the most interesting developments. Rather than being based in a central grand building – their work takes place throughout Wales, growing out of relationships with local communities.  They’re probably best known for their epic, award-winning, participatory production of The Passion featuring Michael Sheen    http://nationaltheatrewales.org/whatson/performance/ntw13

When I met Devinda (who oversees TEAM activities – more of this later), he explained that there is no real education / participation department or role, as participation and engagement is integrated within all elements of the organisation and programmes.  Although this is often an ideal that is not typically carried through, my sense at NTW, with the clarity of a founding vision, is that place and community really are central to their work.  And excitingly, this philosophy is reflected in the work which grows from these community relationships.  Which is where TEAM come in.  These are local people who become ambassadors, advise the production, let the local area know what’s going on and act as a grassroots sounding board in every production.

This sense of community was further reinforced when I met artistic director John McGrath in the New Year, in a small café full of bright but unappetising cakes.  [Please note that John has asked that I clarify that this particular café is not in Wales].  John emphasised that a sense of place was the starting point of their work, which involved not just performing but rehearsing in the community in question.  This approach was summed up by him talking about mapping Wales through theatre and mapping theatre through Wales.  This mapping and discovery is something he is particularly proud of – he now has distinct memories from parts of the country.

Another area he emphasised was the importance of communication, especially social media in the growth and development of NTW.  This was established before anything else and enabled the organisation to grow a community of interest early on.  The online forums are thriving, developing organically with no centralised vetting.  All staff members are trained in social media and digital innovation is integrated within projects, for example online voting as part of the New Assembly performance and debate.

3 tips from Devinda:

1. Avoid the usual suspects – look for people to involve that are not on the radar
2. Take time and listen
3. Be friendly

John was wary of offering wise anecdotes but the following stood out for me:

1. Sense of place
2. Holistic team – all involved and aware of the work – all the staff just get it
3. Simplicity – 12 shows, one a month
4. Don’t be afraid to be popular – hit shows and good PR within the wider theatre world

I’ve just scratched the surface of their work but to get a better idea, have a look at http://nationaltheatrewales.org/

Tom

It was such a relief to get out of the big city and into the countryside. And even better to see the sea! We knew immediately that this was going to be just what we needed. After a brisk, biscuit-fueled stroll along the seafront to reach the brightly coloured hut, we set up the chairs and knuckled down to a rather daunting pile of work.

We came to the beach hut to grapple with all the big questions that newly formed groups need to find answers to. We especially wanted to reflect on our mission, aims, artistic vision and company roles (as well as completing some logistical things like the basic design of our company brochure and thinking about our upcoming Christmas project). We hoped this would help us to build up the basics so that we could get out in the community as soon as possible and start making a difference! Whilst in London we struggled to find the right words to portray what we wanted to say and we hit many language-based brick walls, but at the Beach Hut it was different. Wrapped up in piles of snuggly blankets and wearing many, many layers of clothing, we powered through our tasks, surprising even ourselves!

Despite running up and down to the sea and doing star jumps, by 1pm we were well and truly frozen. We moseyed down to the local cafe, sketch books in hand, for some warm drinks (highly recommend the Caramel Hot Chocolate for a chilly day) and a little more thinking, writing and planning. Whilst there, we witnessed the kindness of a stranger: a lady making her way around the cafe asking any woman in there if they had left a pair of gloves in the bathroom. This would rarely happen in London – there must be something magic in the sea air in Herne Bay!

After making sure our toes were feeling a little more toasty, we ventured back to the hut again, as it was time to give something back. Inspired by the lady in the cafe we backtracked from our original plan and instead covered the ground behind the beach hut with quotations about kindness. We chatted to curious dog walkers and their pooches as we chalked and, for the first time, managed to explain concisely exactly what our company is all about – a milestone!

And, as we watched the sun set over the sea with glow sticks in hand, we realised: today in little old Herne Bay, Ingeenium, our company, was really born. We got the train back to the hustle and bustle of the big city, tired but happy, and inspired to continue, grow and work hard to make sure our company thrives. Thank you, People United – we will hopefully be back to the hut soon, perhaps on a warmer day!

Jess and Laura

Ingeenium

Website coming soon!

Bright Shadow knows what its priorities are so as soon as we arrived at the hut and before we got going on the serious work we cracked out the camping stove and made a brew. The aim of our day was to spend some time planning the next year and re-evaluating the direction of the company. Fun stuff!! Well actually it is. The day to day running of a company normally consists of answering emails, writing funding bids, rehearsing, performing, it’s fun but its busy and it can be hard to see the wood for the trees. So every now and then we like to pop our head up out of the canopy and take some time to see the bigger picture.

A nice stroll along the beach gave us time to reflect on the highs and lows of the past year and come up with some goals for the next one. We put these together to come up with the bare bones of a 5 year plan. Revised business plan here we come!

After a walk into town to sample some beachfront fare for lunch (and to pick up an internet signal) we settled down for some more specifics and another cup of tea. We ended the day with a little daydreaming, gazing out over the sun kissed pebbles onto the pier imagining what delights the next year (or two) are going to hold for us.

Bright Shadow started its career in Herne Bay so it only seems fitting that as we incorporate as a company and ‘start again’ we spend some time in this town. The place of so many inspirations in the past it was wonderful to be able to spend some time on this familiar sea front gathering some more.

So a BIG thank you to People United for providing us with the perfect location to dream big and plan detail. We couldn’t have asked for a better day or a sweeter little hut! We left two very bright little shadows!

Bright Shadow

www.brightshadow.org.uk

In 2010 I cycled 14,000 miles from New York to Hong Kong. I am now preparing for a 3000 mile journey from Mongolia to Hong Kong, by foot and portable kayak. It will take around 5 months, and since May I have been working full time of the planning and logistics of the expedition.

As I approach the deadline of impending doom (or, departure day as it’s also known) the emails, phone calls and potential disasters have been mounting. It has become increasingly hard to find, peace, quiet and that spark of adventure which I crave. While I would never complain about all of the above it’s nevertheless exhausting, and so as September drew to an end I felt more than ever in need of a creative space to unwind and just spend some time bringing myself back in line again.

Enter Hut 136. People United were exceedingly helpful when I first met with them, and when they mentioned they had a beach hut overlooking the ocean at Herne Bay – a space designed to encourage reflecting, relaxation and creativity – it seems too good to be true. Just the ticket, I thought.

I decided the best way to approach my time in the hut would be to combine it with the things I am passionate about. There’s an intrinsic link between form and content, and if I hoped to be inspired with some great ideas for the filming of my new expedition, it made sense to make my way to the hut in the same spirit. And so, just before lunch on a blue-skied Monday I set off from my home in Canterbury on foot. In my bag I had all the essentials for a day of micro-adventure – some warm clothes, plenty of water, an inflatable kayak, a notebook and some pens, some classic travel literature and a stash of peanut butter sandwiches.

It took me about 2 hours to walk the length of the Crab and Winkle Way, arriving at the shore in Whitstable clammy and ready to cool down. That was the cue to inflate the ‘packraft’, and begin paddling around the coast. Mercifully, the sea was reasonably calm and the wind weak, and so it was that as the afternoon wound down, I arrived, by packraft, to the shore in front of Hut 136.

Dragging my boat up to the Hut, I unlocked the door and made myself comfortable in the inimitable armchair that People United have wisely installed. This exact location and position was how I could be found for the rest of the weekday evenings.

The Hut itself is ideal for the reflecting writer. It is small and cosy, but offers a perfect window to the ocean. It is easy to lose hours watching the sea lap against the pebbles on the shore.

I would generally sit for half an hour and take it all in – listen to the sounds of the people and the water, and watch the occasional passers-by enjoying the calm evenings. Calm and ready, I’d set about writing for a couple of hours. Over the course of the week, I found more inspiration and perspective on the filming style of my new expedition than I did in the whole of the preceding 3 months.

When I’d achieved what seemed reasonable for the day I’d finish with a swim – there is no better way to cleanse the body and mind than by being suspended in the ocean.

I must admit that I didn’t always walk back. Time usually caught up with me and I had to rely on lifts or public transport. However, it meant I felt fresh and ready to start the process all over again the next day.

I’m now on the final countdown to the expedition start date, and so will be trapped in my office for the next couple of weeks. The time in Hut 136 was invaluable, and has made these final days all the more bearable. I hope that when I return from Hong Kong next year I may be able to visit again, but this time to start work on a book.

Leon McCarron

www.walkinghomefrommongolia.com

Pulling the left hand one open, I was initially surprised at the simplicity of the interior of the hut. She was covered in a vibrant sky blue paint on the outer skin, yet inside was a tranquil shade of egg white with mahogany stained ceiling and floor. I opened the 2nd door to reveal a simple 4 shelf bookcase painted in the same colour as the interior walls, with a carefully places visitor book and a pen and a couple of local postcards. Next to that stood a knee high coffee table, empty, clearly asking me to place some things onto her.

Sat lonely but purposefully in the centre of the hut was a 1970s high back chair willing me to sit down and take in the view of the sea. So I did.

It seems that today the dreaded British Summer/Autumn transition has truly arrived with the arrival of strong winds and spatters of rain that charge at the hut as if trying to scare her, but thankfully she stands firm and doesn’t even wobble. With this weather and the local schools reopen for the new term brings the brilliant knowledge that no one else is on the beach. Quiet and peaceful, yet bizarrely very noisy…

As I sit on the incredibly comfortable chair, I just find myself sitting, listening, watching, almost waiting for something that I expect to happen or come from the sea. The stereo sound of the waves panning to my left then to my right, like I’m in an iMax cinema, the sheer mass of sea and sea and sea spans across and away in front of me, and in the distance, seemingly just past the old pier, although most likely a mile or two past it, I can just make out the feint shape of the wind farm, arms spinning frantically in the gusting wind desperately trying to power the coastal areas.

A lone seagull sits perched on a groyne, inches away from getting the waves over him each time they crash into the wooden structure. With not much else to do on a cold morning, I imagine this is some sort of reflex game that the gulls play with each other, although sadly today he seems lonely and walks confused in circles on the top of the groyne post.

I’ve chosen to come here this week to spend some time working on a new proposal and business plan around a new project for Herne Bay. Its an exciting opportunity and one that I feel could pan out to be very beneficial for our seaside community. Time will tell…

As I write this part, the rains have come, the heavens are opening and the beach is getting drenched by water from the sky and the sea.

The pitter patter of rain drops on the stones and pebbles sounds incredibly calming and is the closest to the sound of a musical rain stick I think I’ve ever heard. The seagull has now gone, most likely to have gotten fed up with the game all alone and flown off to find his friends.

Just one person has wandered past this morning, right down by the wave with their beautifully white dog, who decided it wasn’t too cold for them and rushed into the open waters, which from where I was sitting it didn’t look like that impressed his human friend!

I best be off to do some work I’d planned to do now. Enough of this blogging!

Tarrah for now. More another day from this wonderful hut…

Steve Kreeger

www.stevekreeger.co.uk