Judith Green, author of Slip, shared how her poetry collection was shaped over many years, with many poems written while her husband was living with dementia. ‘I started writing as therapy really’, she said. ‘In a way it needed to be written and it’s a sort of tribute to him now I feel’, ‘I didn’t think about publishing until I came here (Monkscroft)’. 

Cynthia “Anne” Smith spoke about her memoir, The Girl from West Littleton, which reflects on her childhood in a rural village during the war and charts eight decades of change in the English countryside. ‘Lots of people said to me… you ought to write a book so I thought, okay, let’s have a go’ Anne said. ‘I didn’t think it would ever be published’.

As they interviewed each other, the pair discovered surprising similarities in their lives despite their different writing paths. At one point, Judith asked, “Do you think you’re ever too old to write a book?” Both laughed before agreeing: “No.”

The event formed part of OSJCT’s World Book Day celebrations, shining a spotlight on the creativity and talents of residents across its homes. By supporting opportunities for older people to share their stories, OSJCT continues to champion meaningful connection, creativity, and personal expression.