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FRINGEREPORT.COM..Headlines.. PUBLISHING ... HULL ... How publisher Cilla Wykes gave Hull in Yorkshire, England its alternative voice - from her kitchen table, while bringing up four children ... The Story of www.thisisull.com

thisisUll.com, the alternative media website from Hull in England! This website is about people's lives and experiences - whoever they are - for us all to share. Every article, poem, story, review is contributed by you. Say what you feel, say it like it is. We do our best to publish everything you send to us. Please email your friends and send your stories to: contributions@thisisull.com. thisisUll.com has provided a free, independent platform for anyone and everyone to use since August 2003. The site depends on its editorial and production team who continue to toil tirelessly and without pay to bring 'Ull to you. We run on a shoestring and rely solely on advertising revenue to fund the site. Please help support thisisUll.com. We can't do it without you! Advertisers - Please check our advertising rates - Click Here Bands, promoters, venues and everybody else! Please help support us by buying a t-shirt or providing a link to thisisUll.com on your website or myspace page. Not sure how? Click here for information. * New * For an index by Featured Writers to Contributions click here. For an index to All Other Writers to Contributions click here. Enter/promote your own Event Coming Up Contributions click here its easy and FREE.

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News, - World Trade Centre to Boost Business, says advisory group leader
	Lindsay West has been appointed the first chair of World Trade Centre Hull & Humber's advisory group. Mr West, 41, sales and marketing director of Hull-based packaging company Garthwest, believes that through the World Trade Centre the region can significantly increase its business with Europe and beyond. As head of the advisory group, which was formed in June, Read more...

Poetry - Here For A Purpose? By Chris Dawber

I'm the Unknown Warrior, A man, with dubious fame. I lie here, as a symbol, But no-one knows my name. But remember, I was a person, I lived, I breathed, I swore, A typical, frightened Tommie, One more victim of your war.    Read more...

Fiction - 100 Words Competition - Sundog By Amanda Lowe

I have my yellow boots on to walk the dog who is scratting at the door, he knows it's time to go. Outside, he's running ahead like a mad thing as my yellow boots squelch flat fields, left foot, right foot. Striding along the bank, lost in thoughts, I stop and gawp at a sundog, reflection of the sun in the sky. The sun and its doppelganger side by side, striving to outshine each other. Read more...

Poetry - A Sea By Another Name By Lin Whitehouse

I always wanted to live by the sea to watch the waves licking, tickling the shore, the ebb and flow smoothing sharp angles of discarded glass, worthless jewels, strewn among the flotsam. I always wanted to observe the ever changing colours of the seasons. On windy days    Read more...

Poetry - High Street Musical By Joe Hakim

follow the flock shop until you drop in residential areas you must leave quietly or shred your integrity with a touch of fantasy design me lose yourself in a pharmacy    Read more...

Coming Up, Saturday 18th October - Hessle and Hull Residents Ceilidh for WaterAid at Hessle Town Hall
	Residents of Hessle and Hull will be dancing for water on Saturday 18 October, as part of The Big National Ceilidh for WaterAid. Featuring the incredible Hessle Ceilidh Band, the event will take place at Hessle Town Hall. Tickets £5.00 each or Family ticket £15.00 available on the door. 8 till late No bar so bring your own drinks and nibbles! Read more...

Fiction - The Lie of the Land By Steve Rudd
	So I ran. I ran, and I ran, and I ran. Nothing means anything when eagerly anticipated phone calls never come. All those wasted Sundays slumped beside the phone add up. Ah, heartbreak. You've got to hate it. But you've also got to take it. The hardest thing of all is resisting the urge to break the ice, to ring first, to put words into your mouth Read more...

Poetry - Burma By Nick Boldock

Corpses float in bloated rivers From which children take the only water they can get Infested with death and disease, they drink it in Desperate and hungry and with nowhere else to go. Shanty towns spring up in nowhere lands, Made by the hands of dying Burmese,    Read more...

Coming Up, Sunday 2nd November 08 - 100 Free Pints Event at The Alexandra Hotel
	On Sunday 2nd November, starting at 11:00 a.m., The A63 Revisited, Waterstones and ThisisUll.com are sponsoring an event at The Alexandra Hotel, 69 Hessle Road, Hull, to promote the launch of two gangster novels based in Hull recently published by two Hull writers - Clipped by Danny Birch, and The Dance of the Pheasodile by Tim Roux. Read more...

Poetry - Tigers, Tigers Burning Bright By Joe Hakim Tigers Return Gallery by Matt Rudd

They say pride comes before a fall but when our backs are against the wall we have the strength to pull us through. At the end of the M62 but at the beginning of our prime, this is our moment, this is our time, into the light from out of the dark, from Hessle Road to Orchard Park,    Read more...

Poetry - Song for Anna By Laura Fry

	I first met you in our student house in '93 You seemed to be as quiet as a mouse Unknown to me when we all learned the Italian for 'it's cold' That day a lifelong friendship would unfold You were to marry your childhood boyfriend; it all seemed so sweet Read more...

Poetry - Ferriby Foreshore, February Afternoon 2005 By Terry Ireland

The river was calm this afternoon with a low sun Casting a mile wide buttery playing field dotted With the white of drifting clouds moving slowly Across the yellow: to my left rising up I spotted Two pairs of mallard flying line astern past me, Splitting into two pairs each to go their own ways. Read more...

Poetry - What Have We Done? By The Lazyswede
	Solitude echoes through the dark twisted branches of and old wind swept Oak tree. And an old owl hoots, its lonesome wail drifting endlessly across the wide-open spaces between the forever-dwindling trees of our forests. While the common earth worm is afraid to come to the surface in case the ever Read more...

Poetry - The Boxer By Chris Dawber

This is a tale that's hard to tell, Of a man who won and one who fell, Fifteen rounds of blood and sweat, They'll always talk of when they met, Introducing Jim Vandon, He's defending champion, Never known to lose a fight,    Read more...

Poetry - Common Blue By Mike Watts

It was surrounded By wild flowers Painted- miss perpetual motion That we flaunted Our existence In the gentlest manner - Sharing, (as I slipped Read more...

Music Reviews - Friday July 25th 08 - Thisisull Live with Alison Angus The Clauberg Opera Santa's Buggerboyz. By Michelle Dee
	In July we had a thisisull live gig but as yet no report on what happened. So here it is... Alison Angus were first up promoting new tracks from their Satis E.P. Unusually the two piece band set their kit up on the floor of the Adelphi in front of the stage, this was due to the fact the headliners had all but filled the stage with their equipment. They played their unconventional style of hard edged sculpted metal escapism, with drums, Read more...

Poetry - A Smoke and a Lady By Lee Cassanell

	Two glasses of baileys and a liquor I cannot pronounce We sat in the Kitchen while others were sleeping somewhere at the back of the house. It all seemed familiar She poured a tall vodka Read more...

Music Reviews - Thursday 7th August 08 - Glen Williams and the Ullbillies at The Square Spring Bank Hull By Michelle Dee
	The Square although still much in its infancy, has been a venue for Spoken Word, lounge style Alt Piano and other assorted DJ and Alt music nights including the upcoming Tegleg Records Night 9th October. Tonight however The Square played host to an altogether different sound, the critically acclaimed Country and Bluegrass artist Glenn Williams Read more...

Fiction - Too Late To Call By Sarah Ann Watts
	The bus pulls out of the station. I check my watch - I am not too late. I close my eyes, pretend to sleep. The witching hour is yet to come. I told you I would be home by midnight. You like to know where I am. I tell you I can protect myself and you shake your head in doubt. 'Be careful. It isn't the same world.' I laugh at your fears and paint my lips and smile. Read more...

Poetry - Sewage Farm and Ash By Manuro

	Trees are more patient Than you or I They wait around While we all die They give us fruit And shade and wood That we use to make coffins Read more...

Poetry - Broke Beyond Repair By Paul England

	I can't find the words to touch the streets today life is all messed up and Britain's lost it's way As the violence escalates I've heard their point of view Cherie you're a joke Read more...

Poetry - Unfinished By Laurenceaux

Your sickness is inside of you trapped within your head, distraught with insecurities, irrational instabilities are signs I always dread. With childish eyes - implicit faith to me you'd run in pain, Read more...

Reviews, Arts - A Walk Through H: Some recent cultural musings around Kingston Upon Hull By Philip Wincolmlee-Barnes
	Contemporary Art: either you're 'out' or you're 'in'. Either you 'get' the somewhat jaundiced, laconically ironic stance of much of this work - you know, of how we're living in a post modern world bereft of a single 'grand narrative' - or you remain nonplussed at the often obtuse outpourings of these 'so-called artists'. And many of them don't even have proper jobs (whatever one of those might be...). Read more...

Poetry - Karma Bonfire By Joe Hakim

I wanted to be alone so I disconnected the phone days ago switched off the TV because I didn't want to see the blood flow shredded all my clothes    Read more...

Fiction - The Day By Danny Swain
	Ray turns the CD player off as he answers the phone. The sound of waves crashing against a beach fills his ear. Jenny wipes the plate and puts it on the draining board. A man appears at the kitchen window. Benjamin pulls the car into the drive and gets out. He hears a noise in the garage. Mary locks her front door and buttons up her coat. Read more...

Poetry - Cool Hand Luke By Del Abe Jones.

Paul Leonard Newman January 26 1925; September 26 2008 He was a quiet, private, Man But, a giant, amongst the stars A philanthropist to millions And owned and drove racecars. He was a producer and director And an actor, beyond, compare Read more...

Featured Writers - Laura Fry
	I was born in the UK, have also lived in Holland, France and Croatia but Hull is home to me in every way. I have just moved to York after a year in Surrey which was awful. I got my degree in French, Italian and Scandinavian Studies at Hull University then an MA by Research from Nottingham in Slavonic Studies, which was basically discussing the differences between Croatian Read more...

Poetry - Don't Be Afraid, I'm Here, Stop Crying. By Danny James Archer

A warm tear falls down your pale white cheek. I love you bewildering eyes, your scared expression. 'don't be afraid, I'm here, stop crying.' The night grows purple, the trees are listening.   Read more...

Opinions - Dating Nightmare Part 2 By Leah Scarpati
	I'm pleased to say that I have a different slant on the subject now. I'm so fickle...all it takes is a month of dating with a TDH rugby playing fireman and the dating garden's all rosy! All the time I was complaining about the crap first dates with guys I very easily found something wrong with (often when there probably wasn't actually anything wrong with them); I wasn't really thinking too far ahead. Read more...

Poetry - Freak By Katherine Horrex

	You should be a painter You should be an artist You should get a full time job As a chemist. As an electrician You're a genius. You need to write full-time. Read more...

Poetry - Accident Prone By Joe Hakim

I walk straight into this one which makes it hurt so much more. I ignore the signs, the warnings -    Read more...

Articles - A Tiny Tale of Onion Rings By Ruth

	The Sunday before my bowel surgery, I was sort of bummed out. I have always been pretty thin and fit as an adult. Yeah, I was still wearing little two-piece bathing suits into my late 40's. So what? It pays to advertise... Anyway, the thought of a bigass midline incision meant the end of my two-piece days. And worse still, chemotherapy and the resulting hair loss was not a big plus. Read more...

Fashion - St Stephens Summer Styles Tour Announces The Regions Most Stylish Individual
	Rachel Hinch (31) has been voted St Stephen's Summer Style Tour Fashionista of the Season, and this week collected her fabulous prize - a new autumn wardrobe worth £100, kindly donated by Next. Rachel, from Barton Upon Humber, was snapped by the Summer Style Tour team as she and her family spent a day shopping at St Stephen's Read more...

News, Community - Churches Invite You Back - 28th September 2008
	The Baptist Churches in Hull are inviting folk to come back to church. Special events are being planned at all four Baptist churches in the area, they are Boulevard Baptist, Cottingham Road Baptist, East Park Baptist and Priory Baptist. It is widely known that the majority of people in this country would class themselves as Christians Read more...

Fashion - Saturday 6th September 08 - The Cliques Open New Vintage Shop Rags And Riches On Cottingham Road Hull (Opposite Gardners Pub) By Michelle Dee
	A new vintage clothes shop Rags and Riches opened Saturday 6th September and to celebrate the event in style indie band, The Cliques, set up their kit at the back of the shop for a little extra kick bringing rock n roll spirit that goes hand in hand with the vintage genre. People piled in to watch the hard working band play a lively set and the band took Read more...

Music News - Hull Youngster Reaches Idol 2008 Regional Finals
	Idol 2008 is the music and dance competition for singers, vocal groups and now for dancers and dance groups to enter. 2007 was the competitions third year, with over 10,000 applicants. This makes the competition the largest talent contest outside a certain ITV show, searching for the cream of the UK's talent. Helena Richards from Hull has now made it through to the regional finals, previously battling through competitive Read more...

Album Reviews - Chris Helme ... Ashes By Steve Rudd

The inspirational debut solo album from former Seahorses frontman Chris Helme, Ashes is a lovingly conceived and produced album of the highest order, having been recorded in Castleford by Ben Hammond. What's more, a hidden bonus track is sure to delight any Seahorses fans who pick up a copy... Kicking off with the emotionally intense strains of Morning Sun, it's hard to believe Read more...

Fiction - Blood in the Bath By Leah Scarpati
	It was Halloween night and the weather suitably matched the mood of the evening. Like a parody of a horror film, the wind howled at forty miles per hour, blowing the dried up autumn leaves up into mini tornadoes down the deserted and dimly lit street. The odd raindrop fell from the sky, threatening to pour down but unable to carry out the threat to its full potential. Read more...

Fashion - WIN a makeover with Nicky Hambleton-Jones from 'Ten Years Younger'
	Ever wished you could be the most stylish Fashionista around? Well your wish may come true. Nicky Hambleton-Jones of 'Ten Years Younger' fame is coming to St Stephen's in Hull on Saturday 20th September and you could win a stylish make over. Read more...

Poetry - Memories Of Sand By Lee Cassanell

	I once was a soldier A killer of men With a gun in my hand And a prayer on my breath I was Gods tool of torture His puppet of pain Read more...

Fashion - Nicky Hambleton-Jones Celebrates St Stephens 1st Birthday in Style
	Nicky Hambleton-Jones, TV's 10 Years Younger presenter will be bringing her sense of style to St Stephen's in celebration of the new high street's first birthday event, 1st for Fashion. On Saturday 20th September Nicky will be styling Hull's fashion conscious of all ages, joining street entertainers, make-up artists and musicians at the party finale following a week of activities. Read more...

News, Arts - Free Local History Film Show
	Time On My Hands is a reminiscence project which has collected the memories of over 60 individuals in Holderness from the turn of the century to the 1950's. The interviews have been combined with old images of the period and three half hour DVD's have been produced which are available to view at Hedon, Hornsea and Withernsea Museums. Read more...

Poetry - Peace Or War? By Del Abe Jones.

Yet, another year has passed by Since, those terrorists struck our Land Even, after all this time gone by Still hard, to comprehend or understand. How can a person hate so much And be so blinded, by their belief Read more...

Sports Football - Saturday 6th September Hull Bands Kick Off For Leukaemia Research By Michelle Dee

	Midday, outside Inglemire Lane Sports Club on a Saturday is the last place you'd expect to find two dozen or more musicians kitted up and raring to play football. The wind and rain squalled around the dugouts facing the Astroturf pitch, as warm up stretches and exercises began on the sidelines in preparation for the match. The idea of the inter-bands Read more...

Reviews, Theatre - Johnny Comes Home at St Columbas, Drypool By Richard Axford
	It's not usual to give the ending away when writing a theatre review, but in this case you will forgive such crassness. Credo Arts Community have produced an excellent follow up to their last drama, Ruth. After a piece based around death and loyalty, this time they explore the pangs of despair surrounding family breakdown, and the various responses to resolution of the problem. Read more...

Poetry - Year To The Day By Mike Watts

When salt slides Down your skin When your eyes Are raspberry red When your heart's A fist in your throat When a memory Read more...

Music Reviews - Friday 29th August ThisisUll Live Featuring The Last People On Earth, The Bad Apples and Matt Thompson by Michelle Dee Bad Apples Photos by Dean Wilkinson, others by Michelle and Cilla
	Quite simply the best band I've ever booked. The Bad Apples, just a hard working rockabilly group from Grimsby. Tonight is to be our last thisisull live show. After sixteen gigs down the Adelphi with different bands every month we are calling it a day with the live nights. Thanks to everyone who has played for us, who has paid their three quid at the door, who has mentioned our nights on a website or forum. Read more...

Poetry - The Long Walk By Jazminn

	The manuscripts lie there And I cry For my favourite pieces How will I explain? Blood drips slowly And joins the mud below Read more...

Music Reviews - Thursday 4th September 08 - So So Modern, Santa's Buggerboyz and Mountain Goat Frenzy at The Adelphi By Michelle Dee
	It's Thursday. It's Adelphi and the return of New Zealanders So So Modern. To start with, Mountain Goat Frenzy are tasked with getting the night off to a good start. The prop driven four piece are made up of Joseph 'Danger' Avery on synth, keys and percussion, Richie 'Rich' Bettridge vocals and keys, Math 'Mattics' Molson, guitar, vocals and A!A!A!ex Gower on drums and cowbell. Read more...

People - An Interview with Glen Strachan, An English musician in Germany By Steve Rudd
	Glen Strachan, formerly of Uxbridge, recently made the bold decision to relocate to Berlin, where he has been edging his way into the city's music scene with cunning stealth. Former member of acclaimed underground bands TheBed and England and The April, Glen is a prolific songwriter whose tunes never fail to astound and inspire through being so daring and original. Read more...

Listings - Stripped at the Wellington Inn - September to December 08
	Stripped is an acoustic based gig night that takes place every first and third Thursday of the month at the Wellington Inn, Russell Street, Hull (just around the corner from Lamp). Each Stripped night features 3, sometimes 4, bands or artists all playing original material. Stripped is different from other gig nights as each band performs two sets of 4 songs each at different points Read more...

Sports, - British Touring Car Championship ... Impressive Pace From Bell At Silverstone Photographs by Bob and Steve Knightley

Barrow-upon-Humber racer Martyn Bell secured two more Independents' points finishes in the penultimate rounds of the HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship at Silverstone. Martyn produced one of his strongest weekends of the season at the Northamptonshire circuit as he quickly got to grips with tricky wet conditions at the wheel of his Arkas Racing with Sunshine.co.uk Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch. Read more...

Humour - You Can Run But You Can't Hide or, How To Take The Girl Out Of Hull But Not Hull Out Of The Girl By Lin Whitehouse

	I lay comfortably on my sun-bed under a bower - aka a Fig Tree; whose branches laden with ripening fruit may have shaded me, but did not stop the overbearing, claustrophobic heat from making me feel like I was lying on a barbecue grill. Salty dribbles of sweat (or should I say perspiration?) blurred the words I had written across a dampening page. Read more...

News, Arts - Glimmer: The 7th Hull International Short Film Festival 2009 ... Call For Entries
	Glimmer: The 7th Hull International Short Film Festival is now accepting submissions its next edition which will take place from 21st to 26th April 2009. Glimmer, the largest short film festival in the North of England, is looking for innovative and exciting films from across the globe of any genre that run up to a maximum of 45 minutes. Read more...

Sports, - British Supersport Championship - Westmoreland Chasing Debut Win At Croft By Niall McGlone Photographs from www.centurionracing.net

	Local motorcycle racer James Westmoreland is looking for more success as the British Superbike paddock heads to Croft, a circuit he calls his 'second local track'. The 20 year old who resides in Sproatley, finished fifth at what is essentially his home round at the recent Cadwell Park meeting in Louth. The result came after the Centurion Racing Honda rider notched up impressive back Read more...

Music Reviews - Thursday 24th July 08 ... Edwina Hayes at The London Bar, Driffield By Steve Rudd
	The third night of its kind to feature live music in The London Bar (local lads Chaser along with Blues prodigy Oli Brown have both played there on previous occasions), Driffield's very own Edwina Hayes performed two hour-long sets on what was a truly unique evening. While the staff served exquisite four-course meals Read more...

Poetry - Still By John Stobart

Away, not here, She flew the nest Gone like the morning dew Return not imminent Scent in the air Memories harsh of you    Read more...

Poetry - Mr Mist Her By Laurenceaux

Mr average Mr median Mr middleman, Mr standard deviant Mr mean root squared, Mr miserable Mr lost Read more...