When Death Comes Close: the team

This article was published in the Frome Times, 14 April, 2011:

When Margie McCallum of Pink Coat Funerals decided to create a CD of her poetry from her experience around death, dying and conducting funerals she found everyone she needed in and around Frome.

She was already part of writer and poet Rosie Jackson's writing group which meets monthly for mutual support and feedback, so Rosie was an obvious choice to work with more closely on editing and bringing the poems to perfection.

Paul Leonard of Long Ground Productions stepped in to look after the recording setup, editing and production, enabling Margie to make the recording in the quiet of her home on the outskirts of Frome.

Then Margie remembered the work of Simon Saunders whom she had met at Frome business breakfasts some years ago, and asked him to oversee the design and printing of the CD and enclosed booklet of poems.

Catherine Wayland of Cats-i-media was known to both Simon and Margie through the Frome-on Line breakfasts, so she was the obvious choice to take the photo of Margie.

Susie Fowler of Spotted Fox Design became the obvious artistic choice when Margie realised her empathy toward death and dying. Susie produced the art work for the cover and booklet using test pots of Fired Earth paint of a particular pallet chosen from the book Colour Now by Kevin McCloud, who also lives locally.

Local poet, Rose Flint, willingly wrote a commendation for the CD cover after being very moved by listening to it.

The final piece was to locate someone willing to assist with distribution, and Sarah Williams stepped into the role with her background in office management and administration.

Margie is delighted with the finished product and is very open to the CD being sold by relevant charitable organisations for a share of the profit.

The CD, "When Death Comes Close", can be purchased at the Frome bookshop, Hunting Raven, or by contacting Sarah on 01373 300433.

Margie McCallum has recently gone to live at the Findhorn Foundation Community in Scotland.

Click on the photograph below for a larger version.

From left: Susie Fowler, Paul Leonard, Rosie Jackson, Margie McCallum, Sarah Williams and Catherine Wayland. Not present: Simon Saunders and Rose Flint.