FedNews Issue 1

This first issue of FedNews establishes the purpose of FedNews "to be a a mouthpiece for all the hundreds of workers writers and community publishers over Britain and Ireland who are involved with the FWWCP." This purpose will be achieved by sharing information about events and publications, including poems, short stories, and serialized longer pieces. Featured pieces in this issue include Chris Searle's review of the anthology, *Once I Was a Washing Machine,* a review of the Annual General Meeting from April 21-23 in Sekegness, and an overview of the Tribute to the Hillsborough Victims, which included 95 poems read from over 1,000 contributions. Reviews of *Once I was a Washing Machine,* *On The River," *In My World* by Sally Flood, *Now Then* by Commonword, *Talkers Through Dream Doors,* *No Earthly Reason?,* *Relative to me...,* *Bagels with Babushka* by Hilda Cohen, *Backstreet Brighton: Photos and Memories of Brighton in the 50s,* *Everything Seems Smaller* by Sid Manville, and *One for Blair.* Publicized events in this issue include Age Exchange's "On The River"- a touring show and Reminiscence training, as well as Commonword's events: Readings from *Now Then,* Chester Literature Festival, Oldham Wordsmiths, and Word Fest Party for local groups at Crockroft Hall. Pat Smart clears up some confusion about the difference between her in-progress books, *Stories for Children* and *The Children's Anthology.* Published poems include Annette Reis' "Child in Me" and Kathleen Bohannan's "Where We Live." Helen Goldfield's "Americans in the Soviet Union" gives an account of workers in the Soviet Union. On FedBack, Jimmy McGovers speaks about his feelings about the way that the cultural image of a football fan is constructed to be white, male, and working-class, as well as how he feels upset when identified as an oppressor for the way that it erases the class struggle that is central to his identity.