Sara Hardy Writes

It seems fitting to remember and celebrate honorary Commander Toupie Lowther who with Norah Hackett established the all-woman Ambulance Unit that was brought together via private funding (mainly rich ladies in the UK) and served under the French Army during World War 1. When Lowther and Hackett approached the British Army with their unit of ambulances and skilled drivers, complete with their own uniform - their assistance was declined by the British. It wasn't women's work... The French saw it differently and were delighted to accept the Unit's help. Toupie Lowther was first in command of the ambulances, and Norah Hackett took charge of the portable canteen that norished wounded soldiers while they waited for further transport. Toupie Lowther and many of her unit were awarded top war honours from the French at the end of the war. There were many dangers as they were close to the front line on numerous occasions but amazingly, thankfully, no serious casualties, though emoti...

The wonderful Diana Souhami, author of so many witty, pithy and brilliant biographical works such as Gertrude and Alice, Greta and Cecil, and The Trials of Radclyffe Hall - has just won the Polari Prize in the UK for her most recent book: No Modernism Without Lesbians which explores Sylvia Beach, Bryher, Natalie Barney, Gertrude Stein - and many others. I loved this book and am thilled that it's won the 'overall book of the year'. The Polari prizes are: 'open to books of any genre that explore the LGBTQ+ experience. The Polari literary salon, which hosts the awards, was founded by author and journalist Paul Burston in 2007. Its name comes from the slang dialect gay men used to covertly communicate with each other before male homosexuality was legalised.' Unfortunately, from my point of view, submissions must be books published in the UK. The 'First Book' prize went to criminal barrister Mohsin Zaidi for his memoir A Dutiful Boy , which is the debut auth...