There's masses of interesting stuff about John's Islington connection in a blog called Islington Faces. Who knew that our man was once in a production of The Pajama Game directed by Simon Callow?

John's programme about his relationship with the French Baroque composer Jean-Philippe Rameau Who Does John Hegley Think He Is? can also be found here or via the app. It will be available until midnight on 31 December January 2098 so be sure to put that date in your diary to be certain you don't miss it.

JOHN HIGHLY RECOMMENDS: Poetry For Good is a social enterprise cleaning company based in London which is launching a new national poetry competition to celebrate and publicise the lives and stories of the nation's Key Workers - cleaners, shopworkers, couriers, nurses, etc. Entry is free, open to anyone aged 11 or over and runs to 26 March. The judges will be three up and coming poets whose new specially written work can be viewed on the website.

JOHN HIGHLY RECOMMENDS: Ant's Daily Poem. Anthony Roberts is director of Colchester Arts centre and has been posting daily poetry to uplift the spirits during these testing times. You can view all the poems on the Arts Centre's Youtube page here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwYeZJrHLpmdbp09oMxshTA.

His first years as a schoolboy, were the years my father spent

attending school in Paris, where the First of April meant

a fish made out of paper and the efforts to conceal

attaching it to somebody - le poisson d'Avril.

Something fishy going on, with a bit of sticky tape:

an accoutrement with something of an oceanic shape.

Standing at a bus stop, or sat down to eat a meal,

'Regardez, regardez - le poisson d'Avril!'

Though French was his first lingo, my dad had an English name.

and the call was heard from England, so across the sea he came

to an existence at a distance, which was going to reveal

less croissants to start with - even less, poissons d'Avril.

Like a thumb with a great soreness, he would stick out at the school,

where no fish marked the tradition of the English April Fool.

Sticking even further out, was lacking in appeal:

hence the sense in the dispensing with the poissons d' Avril.

Though fitting in, surviving, and not seeming very French

seemed reasonable to my dad, I'm  glad of the enchantment

of his continental heritage - come springtime what I feel

is a sense we're in the season of those  poissons d'Avril.

I pick up where my dad left off, in schooldays back in France.

When April's at the door, I'm more than ready for the chance

to get stuck in with the sticking on, to dance about and squeal,

'zut alors, ici encore - le poisson d'Avril!'

You can now keep track of John on Facebook - just click on the button. And if you have a Facebook account please click the Like button below, it will help spread the word! Note that this is a Community Facebook page and John isn't personally involved in it. Please don't use it to send him personal messages, use the email address on the Contact John page instead.

Go to the Links page to check out a pot pourri of things that have caught John's fancy. These include Julian Goodacre Bagpipe Maker, Clod Magazine, Luton Haiku, Paul Hegley, Partan Press Children's Books, the Jelly Rollers Dragon (love child of Keith Moore of the Popticians) and the Hat in the Cat hat shop.

The winning entries can be viewed by clicking here.

Click here for John's thoughts on Morris Dancing in The Guardian's online comment pages......

There's Trains. There's John Keats. There is Joan of Arc. There are trucks and boats and ship. With chips.

What's so funny about peace, love and understanding? With drawings largely by the author.

Find out more about the book.

Seventeen adventures and one short drama, each presented in French and English.

Available from Donut Press for the amazing bargain price of £5 with free delivery! An absolute must for aficionados of the Hegley oeuvre!

Find out more about the book.

John's book Uncut Confetti has a strong autobiographical strand and a running thread of animal-related poems.

There is the usual abundance of splendid drawings accompanied by a photograph or two.

Find out more about the book.