Draft:John Killick (writer)

Edward John Killick (born 18 July 1936) is a British writer who has worked for many years with people with dementia,   whilst pursuing a parallel career as a poet, critic and publisher.

Early life and education
Killick was born in Southport, Lancashire, and educated in private schools and Southport Technical College. He trained as a teacher at King Alfred’s College, Winchester and Garnett College, Roehampton, and later took an Open University General Degree.

Career
Killick worked as a lecturer in technical colleges in Doncaster and Broadstairs before becoming an Education Officer in three different prisons. He then became a freelance writer and publisher, holding the following positions:

Writer in Residence, New Hall Prison, Wakefield 1989-90

Writer in Residence, St Rocco's Hospice, Warrington 1990-91

Running a small press (Littlewood) from 1982 to 1992, publishing 60 titles.

Killick was Founder Secretary and then Chairperson of the National Association of Writers in Education between 1982-1985.

From 1992 Killick has worked extensively with people with dementia. He has found that, given the opportunity, they have much of value to say for themselves, and respond to creative approaches.

Amongst the positions held:

Writer in Residence, Westminster Health Care 1992-1999

Research Fellow in Communication Through the Arts, University of Stirling 1999-2006

Writer in Residence, Alzheimer Scotland 2007-2010

Poet Mentor, Courtyard Centre for the Arts, Hereford 2011-2014

Dementia
Communication and the Care of People with Dementia (with Kate Allan) (2001) Milton Keynes: Open University Press.

The Arts and Dementia Care (with Anne Davis Basting)(2003) National Center for Creative Aging, New York.

Creativity and Communication in Persons with Dementia (with Claire Craig (2012) London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Dementia Positive (2013) Edinburgh: Luath Press.

Playfulness and Dementia (2013) London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers

The Story of Dementia (2017)  Edinburgh: Luath Press.

Poetry and Dementia (2019) London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Near Nature: Poetry of Dementia (2023) Sheffield: Lab4 Living, Sheffield Hallam University.

Poetry and Creative Writing
Windhorse (1996) Ware, Hertfordshire: Rockingham Press.

Writing for Self-Discovery (with Myra Schneider) (1998) London: Element Books.

Over the Land (with Alison McGill) (2007) Musselburgh: Fisherrow Press

Writing Your Self (with Myra Schneider) (2010) London: Continuum Press.

Inexplicable Occasions (2016) Musselburgh: Fisherrow Press

Onlyness: Exploring the Predicament of the Only Child (2019) Edinburgh: Luath Press.

The Wordy-Gurdy Man (2020) Musselburgh: Fisherrow Press.

Inside: Prison Poems (2023) Scarborough:  Valley Press.