Kit de Waal
@kitdewaal.com
Optimist, writer, swearer. common person. Co-founder Big Book Weekend with @MollyFlatt. Proud Primadonna. Professor, University of Leicester. FRSL. Photo by Paul Chambers. No DMs please. To email use contact@kitdewaal.com
Reposted by Kit de Waal
Brilliant idea - when you're a tiny community group it can be so hard to cover those boring but essential costs like insurance!
Look at this great fund. £200 for really small charities to spend on boring things. Easy, quick to apply.
Link below.
Please share :)
Link below.
Please share :)
Boring Fund | Christina Poulton
Applications now open!
£200 grants available for small charities, CICs and voluntary groups towards some of those boring but hard-to-fund costs.
www.christinapoultoncreative.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 11:18 AM
Brilliant idea - when you're a tiny community group it can be so hard to cover those boring but essential costs like insurance!
Reposted by Kit de Waal
This is an absolutely brilliant form of philanthropy and if I had spare money some day I’d love to do something similar!
Look at this great fund. £200 for really small charities to spend on boring things. Easy, quick to apply.
Link below.
Please share :)
Link below.
Please share :)
Boring Fund | Christina Poulton
Applications now open!
£200 grants available for small charities, CICs and voluntary groups towards some of those boring but hard-to-fund costs.
www.christinapoultoncreative.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 9:27 AM
This is an absolutely brilliant form of philanthropy and if I had spare money some day I’d love to do something similar!
Reposted by Kit de Waal
What a great idea, if you’ve ever worked for a small charity you’ll know what a difference this stuff can make.
Look at this great fund. £200 for really small charities to spend on boring things. Easy, quick to apply.
Link below.
Please share :)
Link below.
Please share :)
Boring Fund | Christina Poulton
Applications now open!
£200 grants available for small charities, CICs and voluntary groups towards some of those boring but hard-to-fund costs.
www.christinapoultoncreative.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 9:29 AM
What a great idea, if you’ve ever worked for a small charity you’ll know what a difference this stuff can make.
Reposted by Kit de Waal
This is an excellent idea. When I worked for Big Lottery Fund, even the easiest application forms needed proven outcomes etc.
Look at this great fund. £200 for really small charities to spend on boring things. Easy, quick to apply.
Link below.
Please share :)
Link below.
Please share :)
Boring Fund | Christina Poulton
Applications now open!
£200 grants available for small charities, CICs and voluntary groups towards some of those boring but hard-to-fund costs.
www.christinapoultoncreative.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 9:43 AM
This is an excellent idea. When I worked for Big Lottery Fund, even the easiest application forms needed proven outcomes etc.
Reposted by Kit de Waal
This isn't "just the name of it", after all ;)
Look at this great fund. £200 for really small charities to spend on boring things. Easy, quick to apply.
Link below.
Please share :)
Link below.
Please share :)
Boring Fund | Christina Poulton
Applications now open!
£200 grants available for small charities, CICs and voluntary groups towards some of those boring but hard-to-fund costs.
www.christinapoultoncreative.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 9:44 AM
This isn't "just the name of it", after all ;)
Reposted by Kit de Waal
What a brilliant idea!
Look at this great fund. £200 for really small charities to spend on boring things. Easy, quick to apply.
Link below.
Please share :)
Link below.
Please share :)
Boring Fund | Christina Poulton
Applications now open!
£200 grants available for small charities, CICs and voluntary groups towards some of those boring but hard-to-fund costs.
www.christinapoultoncreative.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 9:18 AM
What a brilliant idea!
Look at this great fund. £200 for really small charities to spend on boring things. Easy, quick to apply.
Link below.
Please share :)
Link below.
Please share :)
Boring Fund | Christina Poulton
Applications now open!
£200 grants available for small charities, CICs and voluntary groups towards some of those boring but hard-to-fund costs.
www.christinapoultoncreative.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 9:12 AM
Look at this great fund. £200 for really small charities to spend on boring things. Easy, quick to apply.
Link below.
Please share :)
Link below.
Please share :)
Reposted by Kit de Waal
The Barbellion Prize celebrates and promotes writing that represents the experience of chronic illness and disability. Since the re-launch laste week we've raised 10% of our target, so there's still a way to go. Pllease support this unique literary award barbellionprize.org Thank you!
The Barbellion Prize | A prize recognising literary representation of chronically disabled lives.
barbellionprize.org
November 9, 2025 at 12:25 PM
The Barbellion Prize celebrates and promotes writing that represents the experience of chronic illness and disability. Since the re-launch laste week we've raised 10% of our target, so there's still a way to go. Pllease support this unique literary award barbellionprize.org Thank you!
Reposted by Kit de Waal
Of my 5 star reads.
Purge by Sofi Oksanen.
Of 5 stars published in 2025 (only read 3) The Best of Everything by @kitdewaal.com
Purge by Sofi Oksanen.
Of 5 stars published in 2025 (only read 3) The Best of Everything by @kitdewaal.com
November 8, 2025 at 8:57 AM
Of my 5 star reads.
Purge by Sofi Oksanen.
Of 5 stars published in 2025 (only read 3) The Best of Everything by @kitdewaal.com
Purge by Sofi Oksanen.
Of 5 stars published in 2025 (only read 3) The Best of Everything by @kitdewaal.com
Reposted by Kit de Waal
Critical thinking skills. We need them yesterday, for today and the future.
In Finland they’ve been taught how to spot fake news as part of a critical thinking curriculum since 2014 including how to spot a doctored photo, check for inconsistencies as well as countering misinformation that sows division. We are more than 10 years behind on this.
School pupils are to be taught how to tackle conspiracy theories, spot 'fake news' & root out misinformation. The Daily Mail, ajudged by Wikipedia to be an unreliable new source, is furious. You don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to work out why.
November 5, 2025 at 2:22 PM
Critical thinking skills. We need them yesterday, for today and the future.
Reposted by Kit de Waal
Spotting fake news (I'm all in favour of it) has been an important part of history teaching for many years, mind you. I wrote this blog-post over 10 years ago. It described the situation long before that.
georgehharris.blogspot.com/2013/06/what...
georgehharris.blogspot.com/2013/06/what...
What is the point of studying history?
One of the pleasures (no; I really mean it) of running a history department was that from time to time student teachers would arrive on “...
georgehharris.blogspot.com
November 5, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Spotting fake news (I'm all in favour of it) has been an important part of history teaching for many years, mind you. I wrote this blog-post over 10 years ago. It described the situation long before that.
georgehharris.blogspot.com/2013/06/what...
georgehharris.blogspot.com/2013/06/what...
In Finland they’ve been taught how to spot fake news as part of a critical thinking curriculum since 2014 including how to spot a doctored photo, check for inconsistencies as well as countering misinformation that sows division. We are more than 10 years behind on this.
School pupils are to be taught how to tackle conspiracy theories, spot 'fake news' & root out misinformation. The Daily Mail, ajudged by Wikipedia to be an unreliable new source, is furious. You don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to work out why.
November 5, 2025 at 12:55 PM
In Finland they’ve been taught how to spot fake news as part of a critical thinking curriculum since 2014 including how to spot a doctored photo, check for inconsistencies as well as countering misinformation that sows division. We are more than 10 years behind on this.
Reposted by Kit de Waal
In 2019 I attended Stratford Literary Festival for the 1st time as an aspiring writer. Can’t believe I’m there today signing copies of my debut novel! 🤗
If you’re at the festival, please stop by & say hi! - the Authors stand, Crown Plaza, between 2.30 & 4.30 pm.
#WritingCommunity #DreamsComeTrue
If you’re at the festival, please stop by & say hi! - the Authors stand, Crown Plaza, between 2.30 & 4.30 pm.
#WritingCommunity #DreamsComeTrue
October 30, 2025 at 7:41 AM
In 2019 I attended Stratford Literary Festival for the 1st time as an aspiring writer. Can’t believe I’m there today signing copies of my debut novel! 🤗
If you’re at the festival, please stop by & say hi! - the Authors stand, Crown Plaza, between 2.30 & 4.30 pm.
#WritingCommunity #DreamsComeTrue
If you’re at the festival, please stop by & say hi! - the Authors stand, Crown Plaza, between 2.30 & 4.30 pm.
#WritingCommunity #DreamsComeTrue
Reposted by Kit de Waal
The first starter pack I appeared in was this one - a long story. I owe @kitdewaal.com a lot for how well my first year on BlueSky has gone. And the pack is a wonderful miscellany of writers, poets and good eggs. Please follow and share with your networks🙏 #writingcommunity #poetrycommunity #booksky
October 28, 2025 at 8:47 AM
The first starter pack I appeared in was this one - a long story. I owe @kitdewaal.com a lot for how well my first year on BlueSky has gone. And the pack is a wonderful miscellany of writers, poets and good eggs. Please follow and share with your networks🙏 #writingcommunity #poetrycommunity #booksky
Reposted by Kit de Waal
This is so true. She says, gawping at a pristine red admiral on the sunlit ivy. 🦋
October 24, 2025 at 10:29 AM
This is so true. She says, gawping at a pristine red admiral on the sunlit ivy. 🦋
I'm thinking of writing a novel. 14 years old and still true.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9fc...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9fc...
So You Want to Write a Novel
YouTube video by David Kazzie, Author
www.youtube.com
October 24, 2025 at 1:42 PM
I'm thinking of writing a novel. 14 years old and still true.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9fc...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9fc...
Reposted by Kit de Waal
This Black History Month, we’re celebrating books by Black British authors, favourites in our reading projects. These books reach:
✨ Prison reading groups
✨ Books in the Nick & Books for First Nighters
✨ Family Days
✨ Raising Readers
@kitdewaal.com @malorieblackman.bsky.social @dapsdraws.bsky.social
✨ Prison reading groups
✨ Books in the Nick & Books for First Nighters
✨ Family Days
✨ Raising Readers
@kitdewaal.com @malorieblackman.bsky.social @dapsdraws.bsky.social
October 23, 2025 at 4:28 PM
This Black History Month, we’re celebrating books by Black British authors, favourites in our reading projects. These books reach:
✨ Prison reading groups
✨ Books in the Nick & Books for First Nighters
✨ Family Days
✨ Raising Readers
@kitdewaal.com @malorieblackman.bsky.social @dapsdraws.bsky.social
✨ Prison reading groups
✨ Books in the Nick & Books for First Nighters
✨ Family Days
✨ Raising Readers
@kitdewaal.com @malorieblackman.bsky.social @dapsdraws.bsky.social
The Buddha says it best.
Time...
That’s it.
open.substack.com
October 22, 2025 at 10:42 PM
The Buddha says it best.
Black Bag with Michael Fassbender, Cate Blanchet, Pierce Brosnan and host of other good names. Fifteen minutes in and I’m not getting it. Don’t want to read any reviews because they usually spoil it or influence my enjoyment but it feels very, very bad. Although there are some nice outfits ….
October 22, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Black Bag with Michael Fassbender, Cate Blanchet, Pierce Brosnan and host of other good names. Fifteen minutes in and I’m not getting it. Don’t want to read any reviews because they usually spoil it or influence my enjoyment but it feels very, very bad. Although there are some nice outfits ….
Reposted by Kit de Waal
The Barbellion Prize (barbellionprize.org) will be relaunched online on Saturday 1st November at 7pm (London Time). It's hosted by prize founder Jake Goldsmith and special guests. f you're not on my mailing list and would like to come please email me via my website: davidjcollard.wixsite.com/my-site
barbellionprize.org
October 22, 2025 at 2:35 PM
The Barbellion Prize (barbellionprize.org) will be relaunched online on Saturday 1st November at 7pm (London Time). It's hosted by prize founder Jake Goldsmith and special guests. f you're not on my mailing list and would like to come please email me via my website: davidjcollard.wixsite.com/my-site
Reposted by Kit de Waal
Liverpool Irish Festival launches at 8pm today with Eimear McBride and myself in conversation. Wide-ranging, informal and lots of fun. You can watch this recording live online throughout the Festival. www.liverpoolirishfestival.com
Liverpool Irish Festival - Oct annually, across Merseyside
Bringing Liverpool and Ireland closer together using arts and culture; celebrating Liverpool's Irish story, influence and creativity.
www.liverpoolirishfestival.com
October 16, 2025 at 9:29 AM
Liverpool Irish Festival launches at 8pm today with Eimear McBride and myself in conversation. Wide-ranging, informal and lots of fun. You can watch this recording live online throughout the Festival. www.liverpoolirishfestival.com
Reposted by Kit de Waal
"Times are hard for indie presses – but they are also leading the way in agility and resourcefulness" @thebookseller.com recent Comment piece.
2026 event: indie @borzoibookshop.bsky.social & @dauntbookspub.bsky.social's @marigoldatkey.bsky.social
www.campdenmayfestivals.co.uk/literature/a...
2026 event: indie @borzoibookshop.bsky.social & @dauntbookspub.bsky.social's @marigoldatkey.bsky.social
www.campdenmayfestivals.co.uk/literature/a...
October 14, 2025 at 8:01 PM
"Times are hard for indie presses – but they are also leading the way in agility and resourcefulness" @thebookseller.com recent Comment piece.
2026 event: indie @borzoibookshop.bsky.social & @dauntbookspub.bsky.social's @marigoldatkey.bsky.social
www.campdenmayfestivals.co.uk/literature/a...
2026 event: indie @borzoibookshop.bsky.social & @dauntbookspub.bsky.social's @marigoldatkey.bsky.social
www.campdenmayfestivals.co.uk/literature/a...
How Does It Feel, D’Angelo? It feels very shit, my man. RIP.
October 15, 2025 at 7:12 AM
How Does It Feel, D’Angelo? It feels very shit, my man. RIP.
Reposted by Kit de Waal
Thrilled to be on the @climate-fiction.bsky.social prize judging panel this year, this is why…
October 13, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Thrilled to be on the @climate-fiction.bsky.social prize judging panel this year, this is why…