SHE sought comfort in the environment during her battle with breast cancer.
But Slaithwaite environmental campaigner Jo Barnes did more than just work to protect her surroundings.
She also wrote poems based on the landscape and they have now been published in her memory in a booklet entitled Songs of a Northerner.
Jo died of breast cancer in February 2009 aged 62.
During her illness she wrote several poems about the views of the Colne and Holme Valley, and one of her favourite local landmarks, Lindley Tower.
Her partner Paul Salveson has now had them published and her poems have been illustrated with images taken by Paul.
He said: “Jo was a very warm and highly creative individual.
“I suspect not many of her friends knew she was a talented poet amongst all her other skills. I hope that they, and others who care about their locallandscapes, will enjoy these poems.”
Jo was a dedicated green campaigner and was the chairman of the River Colne Project, based at Slaithwaite, for nine years.
She led many clean-up projects, wildflower planting and research projects into species living on the river banks.
She had been diagnosed with breast cancer in April of 2007 and wrote the poems in 2008 while she underwent radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
Paul added: “She wanted each poem illustrated by one of my photographs, depicting that moody West Riding landscape which she loved.
“I’ve tried to use the images she would have liked.”
The booklet sells at £2.95 plus 55p postage and all proceeds will go to the Jo Barnes Fund, set up in Jo’s memory to support local environmental projects.
Cheques for £3.50 made payable to ‘The Jo Barnes Fund’ should be sent to: Bank Top, 90a Radcliffe Road, Golcar, Huddersfield HD7 4EZ.
