Writing In New Zealand

In 2018 and 2023 Sue was awarded the prestigious Robert Lord Writing Residency in Dunedin, New Zealand, a UNESCO City of Culture, to research and write her project In Search of Richard Seddon.’ The Robert Lord Writers Cottage residency is offered courtesy of the Playmarket, which playwright Robert Lord co-founded and the trust that administers his former home. He lived here for five years before he died in 1992, aged 46. He left the cottage to nurture other writers, offering them a place to work uninterrupted and rent-free. 

 Sue travelled to Dunedin from the United Kingdom to take up the residency to research Richard Seddon, one of New Zealand’s greatest Prime Ministers who was born in her hometown of St. Helens, United Kingdom.  Sue said: ‘Through this visit I have started to build a bridge between the influences of Seddon’s early years in St. Helens and his successful and purposeful life in New Zealand.’ 

  ‘While in Dunedin I was presented with a series of opportunities to further this aim and other aspects of my writing such as poetry inspired by my stay at the cottage.

 ‘ I have now developed a talk based on my experiences in New Zealand regarding Richard Seddon who had a far greater influence than I had thought before visiting the country. I'm pleased to say that this talk is now in the leading libraries in New Zealand and is available to be presented in this country. I am currently working on a book based on my discoveries there.’

   Meanwhile her collection of poetry Poems from the Cottage is displayed on Open Days at the Robert Lord Cottage.

Note to editor: Contact details:  email: gerrard156@btinternet.com

Sue Gerrard
E-mail:sue@suegerrard.com