A Morning workshop aimed at children followed by an afternoon reading & Q&A aimed at adults.

Writing on the Wall and The Bluecoat invite you to a public reading which explores the intersection of children’s voices and colonial legacies across Black British history. This event celebrates the launch of Lola Jaye’s epic novel, The Attic Child, which is inspired by Ndugu M’Hali (c.1865-77), known as Kalulu. As part of the author’s visit, we will invite children to a workshop with the author, followed by a public reading.

The Attic Child is a hauntingly powerful, emotionally charged and unique dual-narrative novel about family, love and loss, identity and belonging, seen through the lens of Black British History. It brings to life lots of historic characters that we’ve forgotten. It’s set in the 1900s in England at a time when there weren’t a huge number of visible Africans, but there was a community which included activists who were advocating against imperialism and genocide, in places like Congo, and it really brings that era to life.

Lola Jaye is an author, registered psychotherapist and speaker born and raised in London, England. She currently works as a psychotherapist. She has written for, CNN, HuffPost, Essence and the BBC and also speaks on issues of mental health and racism. She has also appeared on national television, most recently discussing Covid 19 and mental wellbeing. The Attic Child (Macmillan) is her first epic historical novel. Lola Jaye grew up in foster care and started to create characters on paper that helped her to feel less alone. She advocates writing for anyone going through loneliness, loss and grief – or suffering in some way. She likes to use her own experience in her storytelling in her brilliant previous book Orphan Sisters (2017) which focuses on three black children’s experiences of the care system in the 1950s and 60s. There always seems to be a running theme of loss and families that are different to the ‘norm’.

‘I believe [writing] can be especially powerful for children in care as throughout their lives, they may not always be in a safe place physically, and writing gives them a space where they can make their own rules.’- Lola Jaye

Sunday 16th October at The Bluecoat

11.00 am to 1.00 pm

Children and Young Adults’ multi-arts activity with the Author

Facilitated by Collective Encounters

2.30 pm to 4.40 pm

Public reading and Q&A with Lola Jaye and Carol Russell