2012
Welcome
A picture of Luke with Hong Kong Harbour in the background
13 May 2012 Luke's 40th birthday.
Luke spent two years living in Hong Kong and Thailand doing research for The Body is a Temple. He worked as an electrician at the communications centre, and as a roofer at the new airport to support himself financially.
It is now the last week before the launch party for The Body is a Temple on 17 May 2012
Buy your e book or pre-order the book at www.amazon.co.uk now. On sale 1 June 2012 and at the book launch.
All royalties to The Luke Bitmead Memorial Fund
MEMORABLE MAY 2012.
It is dazzling to be able to remember Luke in so many positive ways. The month of May when we are launching The Body is a Temple we are thrilled to know that also Legend Press are ready to receive entries for the fifth Bursary.
Submissions now open for the 2012 Luke Bitmead bursary
We are excited to announce the opening of entries for the 2012 Luke Bitmead Writer's Bursary. The award was set up shortly after Luke's death in 2006 by his family to support and encourage the work of fledgling novel writers. The bursary is now the UK's biggest award for unpublished authors. The top prize is a publishing contract with Legend Press, as well as a cash bursary.
Luke is the author of the brilliant White Summer (the first novel to be published by Legend Press), co-author of Heading South and his final novel The Body is a Temple will be published posthumously on 1st June 2012. Information about Luke can be found at www.lukebitmead.com.
We are pleased to be continuing this brilliant bursary for a fifth year, and hope to follow in the success of our previous winners Andrew Blackman (On the Holloway Road, published February 2009), Ruth Dugdall (The Woman Before Me, August 2010), Sophie Duffy (The Generation Game, August 2011) and J.R. Crook (Sleeping Patterns, July 2012).
Submissions from writers will be accepted from today 1st May until 3rd August 2012
Only adult fiction is eligible for this bursary. The author must be a UK resident. The judging panel will consist of Luke's family, Legend Press and authors - with the full panel announced shortly.
Novels must be already completed before entry. Unfinished manuscripts will not be accepted. Your entry should be sent by email and must include the following:
- The first 3-4 chapters of your novel
- A detailed synopsis (max 1 page) - this should include the word count of your novel
- A personal statement outlining why you would particularly benefit from the bursary.
Submissions should be sent to: bitmeadbursary@legendpress.co.uk
Entrants must be aged 16 or over. There is no upper age restriction for entry but all submissions must be from first-time, non-published authors - particularly those who are talented but whose personal or financial circumstances are making it especially hard for them to focus on writing as a career.
The 2011 bursary was inundated with entries and we look forward to reading your work and discovering more talented authors, to join our fantastic alumni!
For all enquiries please email bitmeadbursary@legendpress.co.uk
APRIL
It is enthralling and fascinating to have received these wonderfully diverse endorsement quotes for THE BODY IS A TEMPLE.
"I hope Luke's book takes off into the Heavens'"- Jilly Cooper
'"A well written, beautifully paced romantic thriller - my favourite of all Bitmead's novels." Deborah Wright
''With a deceptively light touch Luke Bitmead takes us into a world of gigolos and drug pushers, where love is at a price and pain is never far away. Sensitive and compelling, Bitmead's swansong novel is a triumph.' - Ruth Dugdall
''A fast-paced, exciting, adrenaline-fuelled and yet deeply philosophical look at youth, disillusionment and the search for true happiness.' - Andrew Blackman
''Luke Bitmead's narrative races along at break-neck speed, crackling with energy. Its emotional depth reveals not only the darker side of what it is to be human but also the hopes and dreams each of us have to be a better person.' - Sophie Duffy
I feel sure Luke would feel tremendously proud to have received affirmation from a list of writers whose own work has also received outstanding success.
To mention JILLY COOPER particularly feels important because not only is she a brilliant writer, who certainly knows how to tell a tail but she is a beautiful human being who has tremendous compassion and kindness. She carries her fame with such modesty and is such a great example of how to live well.
THE BODY IS A TEMPLE
Invitation
QUOTE from exceptionally talented writer Ruth Dugdall:
"With a deceptively light touch Luke Bitmead takes us into a world of gigolos and drug pushers where love is at a price and pain is never far away."
The Launch 17th May 2012
The bubble of excitement is growing as our plans for the launch of The Body is a Temple are moving into place. The venue is booked. A wonderful Thai Restaurant. Absolutely right for launching a book set in Thailand and Hong Kong. Luke lived in Thailand for two years and met some delightful people that had a gentleness combined with respect both for others and themselves. It will be amazing to have a vibrant gathering of people to celebrate together.
Everyone who has supported the LBMF has been invited but there is always the possibility that email addresses have changed and so an invitation to make sure nobody is left out will be posted soon.
The Body is a Temple
The final literary work of Luke's is a thriller that makes for gripping reading combined with a sensitive love story that demonstrates the split between thinking and feeling. It simultaneously stimulates both cognitive and emotional states as we are taken seamlessly from fast paced action to deliciously sensitive seduction. This story demonstrates a paradoxical intention. It stimulates you at one moment and then it soothes, enabling a sense of equilibrium to be gained. Dr. Samuel Johnson argued: "The purpose of literature is to help mankind enjoy life a little more, or endure it a little better."
Luke's intimate knowledge of Thailand, where he lived for two years and the Thai people gives the story an authenticity that can only be achieved by personal experience. This seems applicable to other parts of the story as well. How can you describe the meaning of love if you haven't been in love? Luke used his experience of life combined with his gift for telling a story to create this final brilliant work.
Legend Press will launch THE BODY IS A TEMPLE on 17th May 2012, venue soon to be announced.
MARCH
ANOTHER LUKE BITMEAD BURSARY FINALIST RECEIVES A PUBLISHING DEAL
ALEXANDRA SINGER whose book was runner up to Sophie Duffy's exceptional book The Generation Game in 2010 has launched her wonderful book TEA AT THE GRAND TAZI. It is thrilling for us to see another book published that found its way to Legend Press by way of the Luke Bitmead Bursary competition. Alex has had a frighteningly difficult time recovering from a coma that she was in for three months. Writing proved to be a sort of therapy. Please look at her website:
where you can read her extraordinary story of determination and courage, and order her book.
IMPORTANT CHANGES TO LUKE'S FUND
We have decided to secure the Luke Bitmead Bursary by transferring Luke's literary works to The Luke Bitmead Memorial Fund. I wanted to make sure his Bursary would continue after my death and although I have no plans to depart this world yet it is better to make things legally secure just in case !!
ANIMATED MEETING WITH LEGEND PRESS
It was inspiring to meet with the Legend team to discuss Luke's book that will be published on 1st June 2012. They had an amazing cover design to show us. It captures the atmosphere of the city superbly and seeing it instantly gave us the certainty that we will be launching Luke's book around the time of his birthday. It has all felt a bit unreal and there have been difficulties to overcome, but now we can enjoy knowing it will be a superb way to both celebrate Luke's 40th birthday and display more of his literary talent for everyone to enjoy.
We hope as many of our Bursary donators as possible and all the people that have continued to support us with positive and encouraging messages will be with us on this special night. The date and venue will be posted soon. It will be London and sometime May/June. Sorry not be more precise yet but we are hoping it will be a Thai restaurant as the book is set in Thailand and Luke loved Thai food.
A very dear and insightful friend gave me a book of Buddhist teachings - here is one that seems particularly appropriate:
'Every life has a measure of sorrow. Sometimes it is this that awakens us.'
Elaine Hanson
HAPPY NEW YEAR
Maybe some of you will be thinking we are a little late with our good wishes however I am sure there are others who will know today is the start of the Chinese New Year. Other places such as Thailand also celebrate from today through to 6th February. The next novel of Luke's that we will be publishing later this year begins in Bangkok at a blistering pace. Bangkok was a place where Luke lived as well as Hong Kong. You can tell by his writing that he had absorbed both these places into his very being as well as an awareness of the character of the people.
Exciting plans afoot ………………………much more soon.
BURSARY PRESENTATION
Reflections on Winning the Luke Bitmead Bursary:
We wish you all a Christmas that brings fun and laughter as well as peace and tranquillity. We are extremely appreciative that we get encouragement from a wide range of people and we will continue to work knowing we have your support.
Elaine Hanson
For those of you unable to be at the award ceremony here is my speech, and congratulations to the winner
Jamie Crook
For his book
Sleeping Patterns
Jamie with the judging panel receiving his cheque for £2,500
Second place was awarded to
Joanna Gokce
Third place was awarded to
Mike Griffiths
It is with immense pride that I am here this evening to present the fourth bursary in memory of my ingenious son Luke. As many of you will know it was his idea to give a bursary for fledgling writers to encourage and support fresh talent that is waiting to be discovered. Luke achieved many things in his short life and one of them was to find an enthusiastic, dynamic publisher Tom Chalmers who has embraced the idea of this Writers' Bursary. Together with the conscientious work of Lucy and Lauren who had hundreds of entries to read and assess, we are growing in confidence that Luke's Bursary is proving to be a valuable opportunity to gain recognition in the literary world. Tonight we have two of our previous winners here with us Andrew Blackman - On The Holloway Road and Sophie Duffy - The Generation Game. They are here with their books and I am sure they will be happy to sign any books that are purchased tonight. Ruth Dugdall our second winner and who is now on our panel of judges, had to have a three hour operation last week and is frustrated that she has been told by her surgeon she must rest. I am sure you will all join with me in wishing her a speedy and full recovery.
This year it has been a huge relief for me and my husband to achieve some sort of resolution in what has taken five years of emotionally draining work. The NHS finally gave up trying to defend the indefensible and agreed mistakes were made in Luke's care. Here is a quote from their letter written by the Chief Executive of Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust:- She says -
"Firstly, I would like to extend my sincere condolences for the loss of your son and apologise for the failures in care which have been identified as a result of the investigations following Luke's death.
You will be aware that an in-depth review has been undertaken by the Trust into the care provided to Luke. Following the investigation changes have been made and lessons learned which should hopefully prevent similar mistakes being made again.
I would also like to apologise for the distress and psychiatric injury which you have suffered following Luke's death, and the events leading up to it."
For me, Luke's Mother it has been enormously healing to receive these words of truth and openness. Strength and justice are the products of a steady heart. I no longer carry the burden of resentment because I forgive those who made mistakes but equally I hope I have demonstrated injustices cannot be allowed to continue and to hear that changes have been made is extremely important.
I find it appalling however that the NHS spent so much time and money trying to avoid their responsibility for Luke's death. Now we know changes have been made I feel we have given honour to Luke and meaning to his untimely death. We can all take pride from the knowledge that we have helped to advance the understanding of the complexities of mental health care. I believe we all have our part to play in becoming less materialistic and more aware of what is required to allow your heart to sing and the hearts of others also. So much in the world is banal and people gather the same things, possessions, to make themselves feel good. Wouldn't it be better to uncover things with soul that inspire and enrich our lives?
Books, I believe, are a hugely important part of how we live our lives. To have books we need writers who have the talent to share thoughts and ideas with others by vocalising on paper and creating imagery for others to interpret in whatever way feels right for them. Books give us the opportunity for deeper self-knowledge and deeper self-fulfilment which is perhaps what we are all seeking.
Luke's death has shown me clearly how to live differently.
Jung said "The birth of the personality in oneself has a therapeutic value. It is as if a river that had run to waste in sluggish side streams and marshes suddenly found its way back to its proper bed, or as if a stone lying on a germinating seed were lifted away so that the shoot could begin its natural growth. The inner voice is the voice of a fuller life, of a wider, more comprehensive consciousness.
Insightful words.
Next year 2012 we will be publishing the first book Luke wrote The Body is a Temple. It is a book I am hugely proud of for many reasons. Working Title showed interested in making it into a film but that wasn't to be at that time maybe it could happen this time round. Over to you Tom !! In life we have to discover how to be patient. To discover how to manage the trauma of Luke's untimely death is something I continue to work on. Knowing I have a growing band of like minded people around me is wonderfully strengthening. A supportive husband who looks after the Memorial Funds finances superbly. A growing number of Bursary winners who I feel so proud of when I read about the excellent reviews their books are receiving and the sales being achieved. Unexpected donations that seem to arrive just when I am getting anxious about raising enough money for the next Bursary. I think Tom was also relieved to know he wouldn't be cycling to Paris to raise money. Well not this year but maybe next. Incredibly somebody completely unexpectedly rowed into my life. I say rowed slightly tongue in cheek because she happens to be a Cambridge Rowing Blue. She read White Summer and decided to look on Luke's website where she spotted a picture of me at a book signing with Luke. She recognised me from the Swan our village pub where parts of White Summer were written. Her sensitivity about my tragedy has been boundless and her exceptional sense of humour has taught me that I can laugh again while still remembering Luke with respect. I wanted to thank her publicly so she will be in no doubt as to how much I value having her in my life and I thank Luke for sending her to me. Now she is on our judging panel and working on ideas to help raise funds for next year.
Luke has made sure we have a wonderful legacy to work with that allows us to remember him in a creative way and this of course was how he led his life, creatively. I feel honoured to be amongst so many talented people this evening and thank you to everyone for enabling this atmosphere of achievement to permeate the room.
Terence Conran, one of Britain's most significant modern designers was asked the question "Ambition or talent: which matters more to success ?" His response "One is useless without the other. Perhaps it should be called vision." I end by wishing you all - vision.
THE FINALISTS FOR THE LUKE BITMEAD WRITERS' BURSARY ARE
SUE JACKSON - FOUR LEFT FEET
MIKE GRIFFITHS - ONE DAY I HAD A HICCUP
JULIET YOUNG - THE-HOUSE-BY-THE-SEA
STEVE MORRIS - THE YOGA SUTRAS
CHRIS HILL - THE PICK UP ARTIST
JOANNA GOKCE - THE RIVER HOUSE
JAMIE CROOK - SLEEPING PATTERNS
REBECCA MUDDIMAN - STOLEN
Congratulations to our eight finalists who are in no particular order.
We are greatly looking forward to our presentation night on Thursday 1st December 2011. It will be exciting to meet our finalists in person. It seems as if we have been introduced to each of them by reading their personal statements and feel sure we can confidently anticipate a vibrant evening talking with animated people.
LUKE BITMEAD WRITERS' BURSARY 2011
It has certainly been a challenging year. Following our legal team's triumph with Luke's case I have now received a letter of apology from the NHS. I intend to share a little of this at the presentation of Luke's Fourth Bursary on the 1st December 2011. As you can see there is an invitation posted here inviting the supporters of Luke's Fund to join with us in celebrating the opportunity that another fledgling writer will be awarded. The exhilarating prize that will move their writing career forward is a publishing contract with Legend Press and a cheque for £2,500. We will also give second and third prizes plus a cheque for £100 to each of the runners up, Please reply to Lucy if you wish to accept this invitation to join us. I hope that by posting this on Luke's website everyone that has encouraged us over five years will know they are welcome and nobody will feel forgotten.
Our meeting to decide on the winner allowed different views to be expressed, opinions given, heard and challenged. Our panel comprised of Tom Chalmers, Lucy Boguslawski and Lauren Parsons all from Legend Press, Sam Mills successful writer with wonderful generosity of spirit and supportive friend of Luke's. Ruth Dugdall our second Bursary winner whose career has flourished since she won and is now an enthusiastic supporter determined to help us grow in status, Philippa Graham linguist, Cambridge rowing blue, well travelled and read who we met through her enthusiasm for the books we have already published. Philippa has also given us some great ideas for fund raising. As always my part was to look closely at the personal statements with regard also as to how Luke would feel about the stories of people's difficulties in overcoming hardship to achieve their dream of becoming a published writer. It is always hard to choose the winner amongst so many worthy and talented entrants.
IMMENSE RELIEF
Thursday 27th October 2011 is the fifth anniversary of Luke's death. We have spent the last nearly five years fighting to prove that Luke's care was inadequate and the right care would have enabled him to continue his life, for how long we do not know but he should not have died when he did. This has now been proved.
It has been a gruelling time. Five years of uncertainty has added to our grief. The brilliance of our legal team coupled with our determination has brought us to the place where we can now rest. The NHS has admitted Breach of Duty and they have acknowledged my psychological injury due to the traumatic events surrounding Luke's death. This means that we no longer have to read and reread the statements describing Luke's death to make sure we were accurate in all we had said. I will receive a letter of apology in due course.
It seems totally wrong that grieving parents should be forced to go through this lengthy and re traumatising procedure when it was clear from the moment Luke died that mistakes had been made. We hope that now there is improved training in place enabling deeper understanding of people who have attempted suicide and the stigma surrounding mental health problems we hope, has been reduced.
We now turn to progressing the positive way of remembering Luke by continuing to give The Luke Bitmead Writers' Bursary and on Thursday 27th October 2011 we will be meeting with Legend Press to discuss the entries for this year. We have two new talented members on our judging panel and I am sure we will have some lively discussion to bring us closer to discovering this year's winner.
We thank everyone who has entered and I understand from Legend Press and particularly Lauren who has been doing a great deal of reading, that the standard is high and there is an exciting variety of writing styles.
More news soon.
Elaine Hanson
REMEMBERING
11th September 2011
Today we remember all the people who lost their lives at the World Trade Centre in New York. I remember coming home early from work on that day. Luke and I had planned to go clothes shopping for him. As I arrived home the front door opened and Luke's shocked face called out "Have you heard?" Yes I had. Luke immediately said; "Let's forget shopping." Instead we stayed at home and watched the horrific news. Luke was kind, compassionate and not particularly interested in material things. He cared more about people.
Thank you to all those people who send messages and give me support in remembering him.
Elaine Hanson
REVELATION September 2011
Again there has been a long gap since I last posted news on Luke's website and I now feel it is right to explain why. This is something I didn't want to do but my opinion has changed and now it feels important for me to be open and honest with all the people who have followed Luke's story and supported us in giving a Bursary in memory of Luke every year.
THE NHS HAVE ADMITTED BREACH OF DUTY. LUKE SHOULD HAVE BEEN DETAINED UNTIL A FULL ASSESSMENT COULD BE MADE.
We received this news 3rd February 2011 and it was a huge relief. We believed our fight was over and now we could attend to our grief knowing we had reached the truth finally. It had taken since 27th October 2006 and had constantly prayed on our minds as to whether we would be able to prove Luke's care had been inadequate. We thought we had achieved this at the Inquest. The Coroner said the Inquest was not a court of blame but there were questions that would need to be asked at another Court. Yes there certainly were.
Blame, I believe doesn't achieve anything. There is however a very real need to own mistakes, learn by them and do what is possible to prevent them being repeated. Our first realisation that the NHS were attempting to avoid looking at the reasons for Luke's death and acknowledge what could have been managed better was when my husband telephoned to find out what was happening with regard to our complaint about Luke's care. This was five months after Luke's death and we were both in a deeply distressed, traumatised place. You may imagine how this escalated when we were told no complaint had been logged!!!!!
On the day Luke died, as we stood by his side bracing ourselves to agree to turning off his life support equipment - it was for me as his Mother to make this decision - I nodded, everything was turned off. Chris said "He's gone." I felt frozen with disbelief. I couldn't cry. I couldn't speak. I just stood there utterly traumatised by the sight of my handsome, charismatic and talented son who I had left the night before saying "I'll see you in the morning" who was now DEAD. NO this could not be. It was a horrible nightmare and I would wake up in a minute. Amazing Chris, Luke's Step Father immediately grasped the whole situation and said "I want to make a complaint and I want it logged now." The complaint wasn't logged and we discovered this five months later.
The last, nearly five years of our lives, have revolved around working with our determined legal team to make sure that care for people with mental health problems is attended to and not left to fester and grow while physical wounds are healed. The whole person needs treatment. Luke's physical damage would not have been there if his psychological wound had not been overwhelmingly painful and unmanageable. As for my psychological wounds following my son's tragic and untimely death? Fortunately I work in a profession where my colleagues have alerted me to making sure I sought treatment. I am attending to this while the NHS are working out with their legal advisors whether in fact I have any psychological injury following the horrendous events of my son's death. Remembering of course that Luke gave me away when I married Chris the year before, making a wonderful speech and telling me he would wheel me round the super market in my old age. Luke and I had an amazing relationship. He typed my essays for me when I was qualifying as a Psychodynamic Counsellor and I encouraged his talent as a writer being part of the team that celebrated the publishing of White Summer. And he dedicated the book to me. A novel that several of the nurses that treated Luke had read. I remember some truly dedicated people who cared for Luke. The amazing senior consultant who engaged with Luke and showed her humanity as well as her enormous talent and expertise. I will never forget her. The psychiatrist who had left everything in place for Luke to be sectioned to keep him safe if need be. The young doctor who also really engaged with Luke and stayed later to make sure his hand over was as complete as possible. These people have also been let down.
When I started writing I intended this to be a short post to enable you to understand why I write enthusiastically about positive steps forward and then go quiet. It's because I return to the place of abject grief as my ability to cope with the heartlessness of the NHS becomes too much to contend with. I value all the amazing people who have helped me to keep fighting for Luke but it seems wrong that I should need to fight. The NHS should be about kindness, compassion and empathy intertwined with amazing advancements in technology. The thought "Should our head rule our heart?" The article in the FT Magazine The Shrink and The Sage expressed what I have been struggling with and I quote "Without any input from emotion or feeling, reason is merely a cold, mechanical method of calculation" and "a good head knows when to get out of the heart's way."
I am now in the position of having to prove that Luke's death has caused me a psychological injury. There is much research about the damage done to the family of the person who committed suicide maybe the NHS could read that rather than put me in the position of having to go through the last days of Luke's life and the fight I have had with proving that his death was avoidable, at the time he died. The re traumatising it seems to me is not necessary. "Nor can moral reasoning get off the ground without any empathic understanding of the welfare of others." I quote Julian Baggini who with Antonia Macaro wrote the article that has helped me express my feelings.
To improve the care that is available to people with mental health problems is my deep wish and for us all to show those who we are in relationship with how we value them is paramount.
Information prior to 21 July 2011 is now held on the Archive page
Further information about the Bursary is available under the 'Luke Bitmead Memorial Fund' section.
PURCHASES: for those who wish to support the Bursary and help raise funds for next year you can purchase copies of WHITE SUMMER and HEADING SOUTH through direct links to the Legend Press website. Please click on 'Recent Publications' and the links will take you straight through.
GETTING IN TOUCH: please do leave us messages through the 'Email Me' link and we will respond.
We are so thrilled to say that donations keep coming through - and it gives us a boost each time. Thank you so much. Luke would be amazed and delighted that you are all remembering him and doing something worthwhile in his name. We have started the journey of raising awareness to help prevent future tragedies.
DONATIONS: for those of you who wish to make a donation please send a cheque made out to the 'Luke Bitmead Memorial Fund' and post to Luke Bitmead Memorial Fund, c/o The Hanson Partnership LLP, Chartered Accountants, Suite A Unit 16 Cirencester Office Park House, Tetbury Road, Cirencester, Glos GL7 6JJ
For further information about the Fund please click on 'Luke Bitmead Memorial Fund'.
We will continue to update this website with details of progress on the Luke Bitmead Writer's Bursary and fund raising so do please continue to log on from time to time. We have further works written by Luke. With the valued assistance of Luke's hugely supportive publisher Legend Press, we hope to be able to share these with you in the future.
We miss you Luke, you will never be forgotten.