Natalie Nera

Traces in the sand Natalie Nera

One day in October 2016 a shoebox appeal for war victims in Syria appeared on our local Facebook page, Haydon Bridge Matters. It was posted by the locally run charity RAN, or Refugee Aid Network UK. To us, somehow filling a cardboard box didn't seem enough. That's how the idea of a pamphlet of original poetry and illustrations in aid of the victims of the Syrian conflict was conceived. To us this is more than some verses accompanied by images. It represents creativity as a counterpoint to the destructive forces of war. This is art living, breathing and being with people, reflecting and providing topical commentary on the world around us.