Barbara Cooper

Gillian Thornton profile

I joined the VWC in 1997 on the advice of my husband whose name, Robin Cooper, you will find in the early attendance books circa 1978-ish. He was the treasurer for some time when the circle met in the town hall. In 1997 I retired from teaching and wanted to become a writer of children's fiction but I suppose I'm neither focused nor determined enough because I let other things get in the way and it hasn't come to anything. I was secretary for three years when Lin Cramphorn was chairman. I may not have become a JK Rowling or a Philip Pullman but I do get a lot of encouragement from the meetings and try to enter all the competitions. Things have changed and membership has grown in the last two years or so. When I joined membership was mainly women and not many of us. I still have ambitions as a writer for children, so we shall see...