When the election took place in 2023, there was so much hope attached to the new Labour Government. At that time – July 2023 – a large number of new Labour Councillors also got into Brighton and Hove Council, and as the IFCG was serving the Mayor and the City as Chaplain, it seemed a good idea for me to write something that honoured the arrival of so many fresh faces to the Chamber.
The philosophy behind the prayer remains the same. Beginnings do need Blessings. With that in mind… I would like a few blessings for my new book – Sun, Fun and Bungaroosh – which has just arrived on the bookshelves in the lovely City Books of Hove, and hopefully will be seen on a few other bookshop bookshelves, too.
From our first day of life To our scary arrival at nursery school University or work Beginnings need blessings
From the moment we opened our hearts And wept about our first love To the first day we stepped into marriage Beginnings need blessings
Setting out on a new journey A spirit just needs to be blessed Which is why we bless our Mayor today…. From the heart Her known achievements Gifts to her constituents, her pupils, Her family and friends Her promise now Her work for us tomorrow And in the year to come We thank her From the heart And also…
Let us honour our new Council And our new councillors Many embarking on service to our City for the first time New girls and boys at school Tackling so much… familiar and unfamiliar Bizarre letters about dodgy neighbours Stroppy emails featuring vicious dogs Bicycles, cats, noise, parking, weeds Enraged communications about gruesome graffiti Something very different From your previous life Beginnings definitely need blessings
And so… In this brief moment of sacred connection We, representing people of all faith and none in our City Take the opportunity To stand beside and before our Mayor and our councillors And express our heartfelt appreciation for you all — For your service… Your commitment… Your compassion… And your care for us and our most beautiful City Bless you and thank you
At the Interfaith Service on Sunday, in front of 150 people, I was obliged to read this naughty poem. I had left it too late to write something sensible, but much to my delight everyone absolutely loved it. Yes, I agree, it is an appalling poem, very silly and I have to say… I enjoyed writing it.
Here’s what I said: We live in a place full of beautiful old buildings, and many of them have been converted into flats… which can create a lot of noise for those that live in these conversions… occasionally bad feeling arises between neighbours. Ours is a restless City and I wanted to write about that, but sometimes a bit of writing goes off in a silly direction, and you can’t stop it… and so I am asking you to share this silly direction with me in a poem called Peace in a Restless City
The great houses of old Were bought and then sold Transformed into flats Full of babies that yell Plus cats and loud dogs And people with clogs Tap dancing like hell… It’s all part of a restless city
The list of loud pain Gives us cause to complain So much screaming and clamour Drumming beats with a hammer Scary traffic with horns Screaming seagulls and storms It’s all part of a restless city
The noise is absurd Its decibels heard By a geezer next door And the bloke down the drain Not to mention Jim and Sally Vacating in Spain But far, far away in deep outer space An alien race from the cruel planet Zog With pink and blue knobbles And tentacles too Known to the fans of the great Dr Who Are just overjoyed with the noise (they love it) Because they eat and drink noise So they decided to visit our restless City
The dustbins crash The bottles smash The foxes scream While the extra terrestrials Swoop and then dive And choose to arrive In Churchill Square Where they alight in IKEA Feeling very much at home And they shout in stentorian tones ‘We are the Zoggies from Planet Zog, Beware! Beware!’ (If they were Daleks they would say Exterminate, Exterminate)
But amazingly quite amazingly Despite their horrific pink and blue knobbles And terrifying tentacles too Nobody is frightened Can you guess why nobody is frightened? It’s because we all think They come from Brighton! Most certainly not from Hove
And there’s music as well And a terrible smell Fried onions and chips Mixed with biscuits and dips Which work like a treat ‘Cos the Zoggies retreat They do noise But they do not do smells… So they fly back To the further regions of outer space In a state of total shock Well, who can blame them?
And the seagulls all yell And far away there’s a bell That rings out quite clear Through the mist and the fog “We have lost the weird legions Of persons from Zog” (You know something…) They didn’t even stay to see the Pavilion (that is so rude) Even the Duke and Duchess of Sussex spent 20 minutes in the Pavilion.
This is a City of Sanctuary It’s also a City of Peace Also a City of friendship With its chips and its grot and its grease And its rock and its pebbles And its wild seagull rebels A noise I must say That’s reportedly treble Anything you might get in Eastbourne
But don’t despair… If the cat snoozes on your lap And the sea fret stops fretting And Brighton win at the Amex You will, I’m certain… find peace one day in our lovely but very restless City
I have been totally absent from my bloggetty blog, because of this lovely book, which will be officially released on Monday, and the Interfaith Contact Group’s Annual Interfaith Service six days later, on November 16th.
Here are the words of the press release:
Sun, Fun and Bungaroosh – A Treat of a Book,
for Brighton and Hove, and for Interfaith Week
A beautifully illustrated, motley collection of readings, poems and prayers dedicated to the people of Brighton and Hove, Sun, Fun and Bungaroosh covers such themes as The City and its wild history as well as Prayers for a Laugh and chapters dedicated to The Sea, Sun and Moon, People and Peace. It is written by Anthea Ballam, writer and interfaith minister and designed by Sue Smallwood.
This is a treat of a book – a collection of prayers dedicated to the people of Brighton and Hove, as colourful, creative, and kind as the city they celebrate, and beautifully illustrated. At a time when the world often seems more divided and dangerous than ever, Anthea Ballam’s words offer heart and humour in equal measure – along with much-needed warmth, comfort and compassion. Caroline Lucas
The book is intended to make one smile and maybe feel a little sad as well. Some readings were written for local figures like The Mayor of Brighton and Hove, and the MP for Hove Peter Kyle. One favoured funeral reading was read by Caroline Lucas MP at the Memorial Service for the 500 people that died in the City during the Pandemic.
Created for believers and non-believers alike, the book captures the spirit of the City of Brighton and Hove in word and image. It will be launched on November 10th, 2025. The book is available from City Books, 23 Western Road Hove BN3 1AF in person or on-line. Sun, Fun and Bungaroosh retails at £10.00
