Alia

My debut novel, The Normal State of Mind (Parthian, 2015) was long listed for the Mumbai Association of Moving Images (MAMI) Word to Screen Prize. Table Manners (Dahlia Books, 2018) won the Saboteur Award for Best Short Story Collection in 2019. My short stories have been featured on BBC Radio 4. I develop and deliver writing workshops for various art galleries and organisations around Hampshire and beyond. I teach creative writing at University of Winchester and am a trustee of The Winchester Poetry Festival. I’ve also developed ands teach a short story course for Professional Writing Academy. I’m co-founder of Write Beyond Borders, a transnational mentoring project writers from South Asia and its diaspora.    

I help people discover the wellbeing benefits of creativity through mindful art workshops.  The focus is on the exploring techniques that calm the mind, everything is abstract so there is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’.  Sessions are suitable for beginners and those with experience. I encourage clients to leave perfectionism behind and simply enjoy the process of playing with watercolours, doodles and mandalas – although people love their finished pieces too! I discovered mindful art whilst in recovery from brain surgery, I passionately believe it helped me with mood, overwhelm, self-esteem, resilience and focus.  Mind Unwind combines my background of 25 years in education as a teacher and education adviser with my own lived experience.

I am a children’s playwright, poet and community creative writing facilitator. With fifteen years experience working in the sector, I have had multiple plays for primary school age children to perform published and have had works for children and families commissioned from theatres and arts organisations. My playwrighting focus is on inclusive history that is curriculum-adjacent or locally relevant and I’m particularly passionate about amplifying the stories of marginalised women and girls from the past. I work with schools and in the community delivering a range of bespoke workshops to young people, families and to those living with dementia and their carers.