The Arbourthorne Junior School project features the work of between 20 and 30 parents and around 60 Year 3 pupils who were involved in a series of workshops, run by writetolive to develop the writing of original performance poems and stories and also to teach some singing skills.

Much of the material was so good that we decided to produce a 14-track audio CD of the best of the poems and songs. We rounded the whole project off with a public performance to family and friends in the school hall at the end of the summer term 2001.

One of the most exciting outcomes of the project was to the work of four of the Arbourthorne mums who worked together under the name Real Women to write and record a pop song and pop video I'm a Woman.

Real Women are Rachel Clarke, Sharron Dunraven, Tina Mayer and Wendy Milner.

It’s all about empowerment. It’s about increasing our self-confidence as well. I really think that the work we’ve done with John has made us learn lots of exciting new skills which we can put back into the local community. | Tina