Off Course by Maria Burke

Off Course
by Maria Burke

 

 

 

 

Written by Maria Burke and narrated by Katie Leung
This audio story Copyright ©2021 by Maria Burke

 

 

The BIBLIOPHONE 1000 Words Heard competition winner, narrated by Katie Leung!

 

We're thrilled to announce the winner of our latest 1000 Words Heard writing competition. (You can click the book cover at the top of this page to go straight to the audio story, or else keep scrolling down).

This has been our biggest yet, and thanks to the contributions from so many fabulously talented writers, we've raised over £2300 for the Scottish Refugee Council. As usual, the literary skills of our contestants have blown us away, but we've also been taken aback by the generosity of everyone who's taken part.

And this has been a special one: we're beyond grateful to Katie Leung for volunteering her acting talents and giving voice to the winning story. As most of you will know, Katie featured not only in the Harry Potter films, but also Trainspotting 2 and a host of series across the major streaming platforms including BBC's The Nest, Chimerica, White Dragon and alongside Hugh Laurie in the Amazon Prime series Roadkill. We've loved having Katie on board for this competition, and we love the way she's brought Maria Burke's winning story to life. We think you will too.

At the beginning of this audio story you'll hear a short advert for www.freecopywritingtraining.com This is no ordinary ad! Nicki and her lovely people have donated $2000 to the Scottish Refugee Council, so please join us in giving them a virtual hug. At BIBLIOPHONE we don't profit from our competitions, or any associated advertising, and these guys have been incredibly benevolent for their 20 seconds of audio. So if you're interested in using your amazing writing skills (we know how talented you are because we've spent the last month battling to pick a winner) to land freelance copywriting work, hear them out. We're not affiliated to them, but we do have some experience of their online copywriting course, so if you'd like our unbiased opinion before getting involved, you can read more here. We're not being paid to promote them, and we don't receive any special benefits for giving them a shout-out.

What is the Scottish Refugee Council?

The Scottish Refugee Council is an independent charity dedicated to supporting people in need of refugee protection.

The people they work with have fled horrific situations around the world and come from countries where conflict is rife and human rights abuses common.

When people arrive in Scotland, a new journey begins. The UK’s asylum system is tough and takes its toll on individuals and families. Settling into a foreign country and a whole new system can be disorientating and challenging.

"We are here for people at a difficult time in their lives." - the Scottish Refugee Council.

Through their direct services, the Scottish Refugee Council provides practical support, advice and a listening ear to help people rebuild their lives in a sustainable and meaningful way. They work with communities and community groups. And they speak out against an unjust asylum system and campaign for policy changes that make a positive difference to people’s lives.

“When we came to Scotland we were very lonely…our family wasn’t here. My goal was to study but I couldn’t study at that time. In a new country, you have to start everything from zero.” - Feroz, student, from Afghanistan

Their work to support people rebuilding their lives here unites them with a movement of people across Scotland and beyond who believe in the importance of solidarity with people forced to flee their homes.

They are proud to stand with people seeking protection and proud of the many way Scotland’s refugee communities have enriched its culture and society.

Here at BIBLIOPHONE, we're proud to stand with them too. You might not live in Scotland. And that's okay - hey, we're not based in Scotland either. But refugees come from all over the world, and wherever they end up, we all have a part to play in ensuring they have the best chance to make a life for themselves. And while we’re all impacted by COVID-19, there are vulnerable people in the world who were suffering long before the virus took hold. They need our help.

 

Off Course by Maria Burke

Birdwatchers descend on a house in Norfolk when a rare bird is spotted there. Shirley who lives there is not happy being besieged by twitchers. She looks back on her previous life in London and the early years of her relationship to Pete, and comes to a life-changing decision.