Introducing Peter, the Winch's first Writer-In-Residence

Hi, my name is Peter Target, and I’m writing this month’s blog. We want to talk directly as people who work at the Winch, so you can get an idea of what we do individually, rather than as ‘a whole’. Instead, we think of ourselves as a sort of landmark, a recognisable place where people from the community meet, work and play.

I started working here a couple of weeks ago. We thought it might be interesting to read about our personal impressions of the place, and here are mine. The first thing I noticed about the Winch is that the word ‘community’ really is important here. Everyone is constantly trying to reach out further into Swiss Cottage and Belsize, Kilburn and Finchley Road, and trying to widen the spread of people who benefit from what we offer. You’ll hear a lot more about our community on this blog.

But running the place is a sort of little community as well, in that everyone’s voice is treated as important. Obviously someone has to sit at the top, but they’re not pulling all the strings. On my first day we had a planning meeting, and my own vision for the Winch was given as much importance as Paul’s (Paul Perkins, the Winch’s director). I was asked to think about where I wanted to be in three years’ time, where I wanted the Winch to be, and how my relationship to the Winch and other people working here could make all these aspirations happen. This is the atmosphere of a community. You give something, and you get something back.

My role is as a writer-in-residence. I’ll be working with the staff, children and young people to develop their skills and interest in literature, with a view to publishing a book at the end of my six-month stay. In these first few weeks I’m getting to know the children and young people, developing a plan for the book, and starting work with the young people developing their ideas and writing.

I’m also involved in the consultation and planning process that we have going on at the moment. It’s such an exciting time to be involved in an organisation which is open to every possible avenue forward, through a time of upheaval in the voluntary sector. Everyone working here believes that supporting the Winch should be an opportunity rather than a sacrifice, encouraging growth on both sides. Sometimes this feels really complicated, and at other times seems like the easiest thing in the world.

But what I keep being reminded of is the fact that when you take part in a project such as the Winch, you are enriched by the relationships you make with people that you live among all the time, but might never have a reason to talk to. For me, this is the best thing that the Winch can provide, and what I will be concentrating on developing during my time here.

I’ll be writing again in a few months with where I’ve got to. Right now, I’m setting out what I want to achieve by then in stone, here (or rather on the internet, which is even more permanent!).

1. Have a comprehensive plan for the book
2. Run several sessions with young people to develop their writing
3. Publish a small book about Projects We Love – those social enterprises which have changed the way we think about charities and giving
4. Visit at least 10 social enterprise projects for ideas to channel into the Winch
5. And finally, write some poems myself!

I’ll let you know how it goes.

Peter