roSe ann fraser ritchie

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Rose Ann Fraser Ritchie (Rose Ritchie) has volunteered in community poetry for many years including Inky Fingers Edinburgh, as events convenor for the Glasgow based Federation of Writers (Scotland) and Thistle Scribblers at the Thistle Foundation in Craigmillar.

 

She has run events in Craigmillar, Leith and at Glasgow Federation of Writers (Scotland) events. She has five wonderful children and two beautiful grandchildren, although they are years apart from each other, the three older children are from her first husband Mario, a Chilean whom she married in her early twenties. She moved to live with him in Venezuela away from Scotland to seek adventures and knowledge. Her youngest children live at home with her. She also has one step-daughter and is married to her lovely supportive husband, Blair Ritchie.

 

Rose has appeared on stage and screen and has been included in anthologies for Blind Poetics, Women with Fierce Words, Craigmillar Poets and in recent times a poem accepted for the anthology on the theme of hardship 'Listen Softly London' with 'Do not judge'. ‘Wojtek’ the hero bear was the official poem for the unveiling of the statue in Princes Street Gardens in 2015. Rose has been asked permission for her poem 'Wojtek' to be read in Scottish schools. Her second pamphlet, 'Staying Alive,' was published by Duality in 2017.

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Rose lived in Caracas, Venezuela for nearly ten years in her twenties and saw the contrast of the shanty towns on the hills to the high rise buildings of the 'better off'. She worked at the British Embassy in Caracas and issued passports to Hong Kong Chinese before Hong Kong became part of China. She taught herself Spanish and also taught herself to teach English as a foreign language, educating and expanding her own horizons. She has also worked for the HMICS at the Scottish Government as well being a Host now at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre and promotion work.

 

Having really rediscovered poetry and spoken word in 2010 at Inky Fingers in Edinburgh, writing a poem every day after a critical illness in 2013 is her way of loving and valuing her life, being happy with the simple every day things in life. She has loved over the years performing at events such as Inky Fingers, Soap Box, Literature Society, Blind Poetics even at the very first BBC Fringe Slam, with favourite places such as Express Yourself at Tell it Slant, Glasgow, the open mic at StAnza, Shore Poets and at Callander singing her lyrical song 'The Race' there was very special. The Falkirk Storytelling Festival was also special as invited by The Write Angle and over the years have so many wonderful photos captured by Sweet P. Photography at her numerous events.

 

So many more wonderful events including her own events in Leith and Craigmillar. One of her great highlights was appearing at the Griffin Bar for Dove Tales, reading and performing with her fellow fierce women for the launch of the anthology 'Women with Fierce Words', a great initiative by talented writer and Glaswegian friend Lesley Traynor, still going strong after appearing outside the Scottish Poetry Library in 2016. Rose believes in freedom of speech and human rights and is not afraid to speak out in support of people who want a platform for their voices to be heard.

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'Everyone should feel free to express themselves and not be judged for that.'

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