Short stories from Birmingham readers in 172 countries so far
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Princess Anne follows Queen’s coffin as crowds applaud on journey to London
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The Princess Royal has made a surprise trip to Ukraine in a show of solidarity with children and families facing the horrors of the Russian invasion.
The King’s sister travelled to the war-torn country on Tuesday, where she left a teddy at a children’s memorial in a poignant tribute to youngsters killed in the conflict, saying her daughter Zara Tindall had the same bear.
As the princess stepped back after placing the traditional-looking teddy, which had a yellow and black ribbon tied in a bow around its neck, at the base of the memorial alongside the scores of other cuddly toys, she told First Lady Olena Zelenska: “That was one that my daughter had.”
The Princess Royal and Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska leaving soft toys at a memorial for children (PA Wire)
Ms Zelenska, who had also left a bear in tribute and looked emotional during the visit, turned to the princess and nodded solemnly at the moving gesture.
Anne, travelling at the request of the Foreign Office, made the official visit to Kyiv to highlight the traumatic experiences of children living on the front line, Buckingham Palace said.
The princess and the First Lady were paying their respects at the Children’s Memorial at the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War Memorial Complex.
The site commemorates more than 650 children who have died since the start of the conflict in 2022 as a direct result of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Anne hands a letter to President Zelensky during a meeting at St Sophia’s Cathedral in Kyiv (PA Wire)
Images of the youngsters, together with their names and ages, are projected inside the memorial.
Anne also met with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss the UK’s support for Ukraine and the country’s ongoing resistance.
The president shook hands warmly with his royal visitor, telling her: “You’re very welcome”, with Anne replying: “You’re very kind. I don’t know how you have time to spare but there you go.”
The princess handed the president a sealed envelope with a red royal crest on the back – which was most likely a personal letter from the King.
Anne shakes hands with president Zelensky (PA Wire)
Anne’s secret overseas mission, which was not publicised beforehand for security reasons, came just two days after a Russian aerial bombardment killed at least four people in Kyiv including a 12-year-old girl and injured at least 70 others.
The attack, which lasted more than 12 hours, was one of the heaviest in recent months.
Anne was seen in video footage arriving by train, wearing a raincoat and carrying a leather backpack on her back and another of her bags in her hand.
On her fleece jumper was a pin badge of intertwined Union and Ukrainian flags.
Anne holding her teddy bear tribute during her surprise trip to Ukraine (PA Wire)
Anne also toured the landmark St Sofia’s Cathedral, which has been placed on the Unesco list of world heritage in danger.
In Kyiv, she met female police and armed forces representatives, and heard about their key role protecting women and children, asking the police officers: “It’s changed because of the situations but are there many more women as well?”
Visiting the Child Rights Protection Centre, she spoke to families and children who have been returned and reintegrated, and met some of those working to return more Ukrainian children.
The princess, a long-time patron of Save the Children, said: “They could be from across the country? Does Save the Children get involved in any of this?”
Anne and First Lady Olena Zelenska talking to young people in Kyiv (PA Wire)
More than 19,500 Ukrainian children have been forcibly transferred or deported by the Russian authorities to Russia and the occupied territories of Ukraine.
Anne also visited a rehabilitation centre, where she met Ukrainian veterans returning from the front line, including service personnel who are learning to live with injuries and conflict-related trauma.
Her trip follows that of her nephew, the Duke of Sussex, who also made a surprise visit to the Ukrainian capital just more than two weeks ago with a team from his Invictus Games Foundation to outline new plans to help rehabilitate the wounded.
Anne also watched a canine therapy session and spoke to veterans adjusting to civilian life with disabilities and injuries sustained in combat.
Anne during a visit to St Sophia’s Cathedral in Kyiv (PA Wire)
Her packed whirlwind visit included a tour of the Kherson Cultural Exhibition, which pays tribute to Kherson’s history.
Kherson in southern Ukraine was occupied at the start of the conflict, before liberation by the Ukrainian forces, and serves as a symbol of Ukraine’s strength, resistance and struggle.
The exhibition has been supported by the Partnership Fund for a Resilient Ukraine (PFRU), led by the UK and supported by partner countries.
The PFRU works to help liberated communities recover, engaging with them to address gaps in services
Anne and president Zelensky hold conversation in Kyiv (PA Wire)
The King has met Mr Zelensky a number of times and marked the country’s independence day in August by sending a message of solidarity, expressing his admiration for the Ukrainian people’s “unbreakable courage” and calling for a “just and lasting peace”.
I've updated this 15th Sept 2024 I'm Michael Casey from Birmingham England, the fat silver haired writer in shades. Beware of Others with the EXACT SAME NAME, they are not me, and would not want to be me ... use Google UK to find me, otherwise Posh Americans pop up I've done loads of writing, about 3,000,000 Words worth over 36years now But before I started to write, I LISTENED to BBC Radio 4 for 20 years, from the age of 10 or younger Frank Brown our lodger, went back to County Tyrone and he gifted us his Bush Radio. He'd be nearly 102 now if he is still alive, so say a prayer for him 56 years in love with words, and I still look so dashing. I have a picture in the attic, just like Dorian Gray I've also had an interest in Politics for 56 years with my dad heckling the tv and Politicians. I almost immediately had a hit, a play called Shoplife was accepted but not finally produced by a Theatre. The Kenneth More Theatre, so thank them for sparing you all. This was back in 1989 yes, 35 years ago, the play was written in 1988. So since then I'm more than good enough, as a writer. Anything else..... I also ignore those who just cannot write, pick your own candidate I tend to write Comedy as I'd rather make you laugh than cry I have written over 2000 short pieces of writing, yes 2000 " (c) by Michael Casey" If you include "chats" 5000 samples, all told, the chats do NOT go into my books when I compile them. My first book ,a full length comedy/drama is The Butcher The Baker and The Undertaker You can read translations of it here on this site Up to 20 different languages/translations have been read on the same day via this site, here on Wordpress look fo Translations Galore page, and more And in over 167 Countries world wide too so you have no excuse, find your own language and read The Butcher The Baker and The Undertaker or Quick Stories or any other of the books in Translation on my Wordpress This proves to me that the humour does travel I have readers in over 167 countries now, just to repeat myself From Nepal to American Samoa and all places North South East and West Or its just a hit man on the run, or whatever Unknown Region Means It may also mean that only non English Speakers like my stuff Coverage but lacking penetration as marketing folks might say I did get 21,000 readers in 3 weeks for the Polish version of In Search of an Indian Princess. which is basically the final 3 chapters of The Butcher The Baker and The Undertaker all by word of mouth. And 50,000 plus in Christmas week 2021 If you add up all the downloads from my Wordpress + 13,000 when somebody stole the file. I have had more copies than Boris Johnson's Churchill book distributed. Maybe 40,000 copies . Not made a penny from it, free downloads in multiple languages. Reverse Logic, if the world knows me, eventually somebody will pay me But in reality I'll be dead first, and then just 2 pennies to pay the ferryman is enough I've cut the Plaudits, you can read/decide for yourself As for my life, I was born in the shadow of a Brewery, I was a computer operator for a market research company into alcohol sales, 21 years altogether, StatsMR Call centre guy, like everybody once in their life I was also a Trainee Betting Shop Manager I was a concierge and 10 other roles at Crowne Plaza NEC Birmingham for 3 years. Spent 3 years at Pinsent Masons Law firm in Birmingham I even hid a copy of my comic novel "BBU" in the Law Library at Pinsent Masons, well just for a day.. I did a few other jobs too, working life in reverse so to speak and I was an Esol English teacher in an Islamic school, for a year, I knew I could teach. I got Excellent, Excellent and Exemplary on the external assessment, yes really And I asked them to pray for me at least once a day beside which I've had a Shanghai connection for 20+ years now, including 2 bilingual daughters and being a hausfrau a long time too, I'm a great dad, as I've had lots of time with my daughters I can always make somebody talk or laugh I believe my short stories could be used to teach English, just package them up correctly or App them Or a Tale a Day from Michael, a story telling App What else, I was brawn and brains, I used to be as strong as an Ox, now I just smell like one We have a cat called Totoro, my daughters wanted a pet I said they could have a dog if I died , or a cat if I had a heart attack. A few weeks after that in Jan 2015 I had an Unplanned Quadruple Heart Bypass , it was supposed to be a triple but it ended up a Quadruple, 33% extra free so to speak. Now with an add on Hernia, the size of your fist, pushing through my bypass scar, it hurts when I laugh, so don't make me laugh I also have arthritis and other hindrances that hobble my body and give me pain galore. But my mind is free, though having read my stories you may wish I didn't bother But I'll ignore you, and carry on regardless. I do get heckled by my own Tinnitus these past 5 years+, so I have music on all night long to drown it out. I sleep with Miley, Taylor, Eric Clapton and Will Young, maybe I should buy a bigger bed, or just get a better mattress. Tinnitus is a curse, just trust me I know, each day I wake up, Tinnitus SCREAMS at me for a full hour till it calms down or not at all, a merry go around of noise That's the end of the tidy version of my life To finish here's the list of my 20 books, so far:- 1.The Butcher The Baker and The Undertaker 2.Shoplife 3.Essays and Plays 4.Blogs 2011 5.300 and Not OUT 6.Shorts 2013 7.More Shorts 2014 8.Quick Stories 9.Still Alive 2015 10.Undiscovered Words 2016 11.Still Smiling 2017 12.Altogether Now 13.New Horizons 14.14 Up 15.15 Down 16.Sweet Sixteen 17. 17 Again 18. 18 New Views 19. The Final Cut of the 19th Hole 20. 2020 Words 21. Fresh Fields, i decided was a better title, when the USA election is over I'll launch it 96,000 words so far I write bullet point stuff mainly now as Tinnitus stops me from getting in the zone to write, story stories. (c) by Michael Casey stuff though my bullet points are better than some "writers" discuss, miaow. That's why I dream of a speed typist, so I could dictate from the sofa https://www.amazon.co.uk/Michael-Casey/e/B00571G0YC to buy ebooks Loads of Korean and Arabic translations downloaded from my Wordpress, 1000s of them Quick Stories in Korean is a big hit. Maybe Kim in North Korea should read my books, instead of wasting his countries resources on what? Just keeping one person in power, him? Instead of joining the real world and opening a string on golf courses. That way we could get rid of Trump too. Into the sunset, as they play golf. Tears for a Butcher will be the sequel to BBU, and it too will be 600pages, however I really need a speed typist to put it down, while I sit and dictate like Barbara Cartland, and hopefully my speed typist would be impressed. we'd marry have half Korean kids, and form a Kpop band with our 4 new kids, with me as manager. my 2 daughters are at University now, so if you finally pay me, I can pass it on to them And yes this is more for my bucket list, as Tinnitus keeps me awake too much, 6 months of not sleeping till dawn is really killing me, it is the worse thing in my life ever, and I've had far to many horrible things. That's why I go the other direction and write comedy Michael Casey aka the fat silver haired writer in shades from Birmingham England https://2.gravatar.com/avatar/efda2dca0de5b9269191b7c8b0102473?s=400&d=mm View all posts by michaelgcasey
