Warwickshire News Mine

Warwickshire County Council’s Library Service has secured a grant from the Arts Council to make the reading and writing festival possible, and this year will be even bigger than before spanning 45 events in venues across Nuneaton and Bedworth, Rugby and North Warwickshire.

The exciting collection of literary treats is aimed at all ages and will see the whole community sharing a love of books and above all else, having fantastic fun with words.
The festival starts with a Family Fun Day at Rugby Library on Saturday 26 September with four guest authors and entertainers providing sessions through the day from 10.30am to 3.30pm. 

Come and meet the Gruffalo and find ‘Where’s Wally’!  The event will also celebrate the tenth birthday of Elmer the patchwork elephant!  The festival ends on Saturday 3 October with two family fun events at Coleshill and Camp Hill libraries with the ever popular drumming entertainer Clive Cole.

This year’s festival has attracted a feast of talent. Highlights include an adult readers’ evening at Nuneaton Library where published authors Amanda Smyth and Paul MacDonald will be talking about their favourite books.

Meanwhile, Dave Reeves will be a travelling writer in residence as he spends the day on the mobile library route including the villages of New Arley, Corley, and Fillongley on Wednesday September 30th.

In Camp Hill on Friday 2nd October the widely acclaimed and award-winning Working Lives project will form the basis of an afternoon event which will see writer Campbell Perry explore the enjoyment of storytelling and reminiscence. 

Working Lives features more than 50 real stories from people who worked in the brick and tile, engineering, quarrying and textile industries in Nuneaton and Bedworth over the last century.

There will also be author events in libraries for schools with a host of locally acclaimed authors and artists including Meg Harper, Bali Rai, Claire Henley, Danya Miller, Ian Billings, Al Davison, Campbell Perry and David Calcutt.  New talents Dan Tunstall, Tina Freeth and Maeve Clarke will also run sessions.

Stella Thebridge said: "Last year’s festival was a huge success and we are delighted to bring Fantastic Fun with Words to even more people in 2009. The festival is all about having fun, whatever your age, so whether you want to introduce your children to books, or you would like to hear from published authors we have a range of enjoyable events to inspire you."
More details are available from local Warwickshire libraries or the county council’s website: http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/libraries

Link to WCC