4 days of literary fun and adventure for people of all ages, exploring fiction, non-fiction, poetry and performance, spanning multiple venues!
Below are full details of all the bookable sessions. Head over to the Fun Day page for details of other events and activities taking place.
Thursday 7th March 2024
10:00-10:30 Rhyme Time @ Swadlincote Library
Fun with songs and rhymes for babies and toddlers (aged 0-3), parents and carers. No booking required.
Swadlincote Library, Civic Way, DE11 0AD
FREE
11:00-13:00 Cut Up Poetry with Emily Pallett
A fun session for adults creating your own poems using printed words. Booking recommended.
Emily Pallett is a contemporary artist who explores the written and printed word. She often experiments with printmaking and artist books to challenge and celebrate the beauty of a book within our significantly digital age. The tactile qualities of printmaking and bookmaking processes are what drive her to create.
No2 Coffee House on The Delph, DE11 9AD
FREE
13:00-14:00 Meet the Author: Kerry Dilks
Children’s Author and Illustrator, Kerry will reading her book ‘The Greatest Cake’ and bringing the greatest cake ever made to life. There will also be the opportunity to design your own Greatest Cake afterwards. Booking recommended.
Children's Picture Book Illustration is Kerry's absolute passion in life. From the moment she could hold a crayon, she wanted to communicate through pictures. Kerry still wants to do this and is pretty certain she will never stop wanting to do this. Kerry am very inspired by the world around her. Themes within her work center around family, friendship, imagination, connection, joy and creativity...all sprinkled with a bit of magic. Kerry was born and still lives in Ilkeston, Derbyshire.
Swadlincote Library, Civic Way, DE11 0AD
School Visit
19:00-20:00 Meet the Crime Writers: Christine Poulson, Sarah Ward & Jane Adams
Successful crime writers Christine Poulson, Sarah Ward and Jane Adams discuss their inspirations, their experiences and, of course, their books. Booking essential.
Swadlincote Library, Civic Way, DE11 0AD
Price: £5
19:00-20:00 Writing for Film with Deborah Haywood
Writer and director of Pin Cushion (2017), Deborah talks about the inspiration for her feature film debut which was filmed in Swadlincote. Booking essential.
Deborah was named as one of the Biggest Breakout Female Filmmakers by Harper’s Bazaar, and was a Star of Tomorrow for Screen International.
Her debut feature film, PIN CUSHION opened Critic’s Week at Venice International Film Festival to 4* reviews and was Critic’s Choice in the New York Times. It was nominated for 3 BIFA’S and a London Critic’s Circle award, and longlisted for the Evening Standard Awards.
Deborah is developing feature scripts with the BFI, Film Four, and BBC Films, and recently had a short story published on podcast series Never Been Told, by Brock Media.
No2 Coffee House on The Delph, DE11 9DA
Price: £5 (includes screening)
20:00-22:00 Screening of Pin Cushion
Filmed in Swadlincote, Pin Cushion tells the story of when a socially awkward teen and her outcast mother become targets for the petty and cruel denizens of their small town, they seek refuge in an elaborate fantasy world of their own making. Written and directed by Deborah Haywood
No2 Coffee House on The Delph, DE11 9DA
Friday 8th March 2024
10:00-10:30 Story Time @ Swadlincote Library
Enjoy stories with other children and their parents and carers. No booking required.
Swadlincote Library, Civic Way, DE11 0AD
Free
11:00-11:30 Meet the Poet: Attie Lime
Children’s Poet, Attie and her poetry parrot, Marjorie, will share fun interactive poems for children with lots of giggles and actions. Bring your joining-in voices! Suitable for children aged 3-11.
Attie writes poetry for children. She enjoys time in the writing shed, and visiting schools to share poems. Attie has been a Primary School teacher, a Pre-School teacher, and a lava lamp polisher. She is a mum of three, a keen tea drinker, and can often be found running away from her own cat (he bites!). Attie's first solo collection of poetry for children will be published by Otter-Barry Books in 2025.
Swadlincote Town Hall, The Delph, DE11 0AG
Price: £3.00
11:00- 12:00 Self-publishing with Jayne Knight
Self-published author of The Hare & The Tortoise, Jayne will guide you through the process of self-publishing. Booking recommended.
Born and raised in South Derbyshire, among the 'pits and pots', Jayne has been an avid reader from an early age, immersing herself in stories. English was a subject that she enjoyed a school and this has progressed to a love of social history. It is at this point in her life that she began to write, as she recorded her findings.
Swadlincote Library, Civic Way, DE11 0AD
Free
19:00-21:00 Poetry Open Mic Night & Launch of the Swad in the Forest Poetry Anthology
Enjoy an evening of poetry from local authors including those whose poems are included in the Swad in the Forest Poetry Anthology. No booking required.
Pegg’s Bar and Street Food, Belmont Street, DE11 8JU
Free Entry
Saturday 9th March 2024
9:00-14:00 Swadlincote Festival of Words Fun Day
- Stories on The Delph *
- We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’ Bear Trail
- Play the Next Word with Woodville Scouts
- Giant Bookmark Exhibition
- Walkabout Entertainment with The Story Explorers
- Crafts in the Library
Swadlincote Town Centre
Free
10:00-11:00 Meet the Author: Ben Davis
Hear Ben read from and talk about his latest book ‘Lenny Lemmon and the Trail of Crumbs’. Booking essential.
Ben Davis is an award-winning author of children’s fiction. His book, the Soup Movement was nominated for the prestigious Carnegie Medal. His most recent book is Lenny Lemmon and the Trail of Crumbs. Ben lives in Tamworth with his family.
Swadlincote Town Hall, The Delph, DE11 0AG
Price: £5.00
10:00-11:30ish The Walking Library for Forest Walks
Join Hazel McDowell for a walk through Swadlincote’s woodlands and green spaces, featuring readings from The Walking Library for Forest Walks – a collection of books recommended for taking on a wander amongst the trees. The walk will be around 4 miles. Wear suitable outdoor clothing. Booking is recommended. Meet at Swadlincote Town Hall, The Delph, DE11 0AG
Free
NB. The Walking Library for Forest Walks will be available to browse Fri-Sun, 10am-3pm, Swadlincote Town Hall
11:00-12:00 Meet the Author: John Delaney
Local author John talks about his latest mystery /thriller ‘Jurassic Jemma and the Mysteries of Time’, the second book in the Jurassic Jemma series about the sassy fossil hunter ‘Jurassic’ Jemma Thorne. Booking recommended.
The Bus Park Community Hub & Cafe, Market Street, DE11 9DA
Free
11:00-14:00 Meet the Author: Wendy Garvey
Wendy is a self-published children’s author with ‘Phone me when you’re home!’ and a new book out in 2024. Wendy will be reading, signing and selling her books in the Kiln. No booking required.
Sharpe’s Pottery Museum, West Street, DE11 9DE
Free
11:00-13:00 Creative Book Making with Emily Pallett
A fun session make and decorate your own artist book using different materials. No booking required, drop in between 11am-1pm.
Emily Pallett is a contemporary artist who explores the written and printed word. She often experiments with printmaking and artist books to challenge and celebrate the beauty of a book within our significantly digital age. The tactile qualities of printmaking and bookmaking processes are what drive her to create.
No2 Coffee House on The Delph, DE11 9DA
Free
11:30-12:30 Meet the Author: Berlie Doherty
Berlie, Author of more than 60 books for children and adults, chats with Tamsin Rosewell, Illustrator, about the partnership between writer and illustrator and bringing their ideas to life. Booking recommended.
Berlie Doherty is the author of the best-selling novel, Street Child, and over 60 more books for children, teenagers and adults, and has written many plays for radio, theatre and television. She has been translated into over twenty languages and has won many awards, including the Carnegie medal for both Granny Was a Buffer Girl and Dear Nobody, and the Writers’ Guild Award for both Daughter of the Sea and the theatre version of Dear Nobody. She has three children and seven grandchildren, and lives in the Derbyshire Peak District with Alan James Brown. Her brand new novel for ages 10–14, The Haunted Hills, is out now, as is her novel for adults, Rose Doran Dreams.
Swadlincote Town Hall, The Delph, DE11 0AG
Price: £5.00
12:15-12:45 Reflections of Life with Poet, Maria Hambidge
Maria’s love of poetry came from her mother, Patricia. Maria enjoys using poetry to express some of life’s mysteries and intracacies. Maria is looking forward to sharing a number of her poems. Booking recommended
The Bus Park Community Hub & Cafe, Market Street, DE11 9DA
Free
13:00-14:00 Meet the Author: Jonathan Taylor
Jonathan writes fiction, memoir and poetry. He will be reading ‘Bee in the Bonnet’, a story about Emma and her dreams, from his new book,
Scablands and Other Stories (Salt, 2023). Booking recommended.
Jonathan Taylor is a novelist, memoirist, short-story writer, poet, critic and lecturer. He is author of the novels Melissa (Salt, Autumn 2015), shortlisted for the East Midlands Book Award 2016 and longlisted for the Exeter Novel Prize, and Entertaining Strangers (Salt, 2012), which was shortlisted for the East Midlands Book Award 2013 and longlisted for Not the Booker Prize 2013, and the acclaimed memoir Take Me Home: Parkinson’s, My Father, Myself (Granta, 2007). In 2018, Take Me Home was named as one of the ‘Five Best Books on Neuroscience as a Career’ by neurologist Andrew Lees.
The Bus Park Community Hub & Cafe, Market Street, DE11 9DA
Price: £5.00
14:00-15:00 Meet the Author: Trevor Millum
Trevor talks about his book ‘Son of The Secret Gardener’, the story of his grandfather, the real life gardener to Frances Hodgson Burnett, author of The Secret Garden. Booking is essential.
Author, Dr Trevor Millum FRSA was a teacher and Head of English as well as Director of the National Association for the Teaching of English, and manager for Creative Partnerships. Now retired from teaching, he is a freelance writer, editor, consultant - and a keen gardener. (Trevor is a member of The RHS, National Trust, and his loval wildlife and woodland trusts).
Trevor has authored many works of fiction - including stories, plays and poetry - for children as well as grown-ups. He has also written a number of books for teachers. His previous published works include Images of Women (Chatto and Windus, 1975) and The Poetry Guide (Troika, 2020). Trevor Millum was born and raised in Woking, Surrey (the setting of his father's diaries) and now lives in Barrow-upon-Humber, North Lincolnshire.
Oakland Village, Hall Farm Road, DE11 8N
Price: £5.00
14:00-15.00 Writing & Drawing for Children with Belinda Richards
In this fun and creative workshop, children will have the opportunity to create a character and tell their tale. Booking essential.
No2 Coffee House on The Delph, DE11 9DE
Free
15:00-17.00 Poetry workshop: Dawn Jutton, Staffordshire Poet Laureate
Writers of all levels and stages of their creative career are invited to join Dawn and People Express for an exclusive poetry writing and performance workshop. Dive into the art of poetry, explore your unique creative perspective, and gain experience performing your pieces for friends and family. Booking is essential.
Dawn Jutton is the current Staffordshire Poet Laureate, a role to which she brings over forty years as a creative professional that includes a career as a photographer, lecturer and social engagement practitioner. Alongside this she has maintained her own dual practice of fine art and poetry. The influence of the rich heritage and varied landscapes of the Midlands shines through in both her writing and images, but Dawn also digs deep into her memories of growing up as a forces’ child, family relationships, feminism and the challenges of discovering your queer identity later in life as inspiration for her eclectic practice.
Swadlincote Town Hall, The Delph, DE11 0AG
Free
19:00-20:30 Meet the Author: Lucy Felthouse
Celebrating more than 170 steamy publications to her name and, at least, one more on the way, find out where Adult writer, Lucy, gets her
inspiration from for her naughty novels and what it takes to be a successful author. Booking is essential.
Lucy Felthouse is the award-winning author of erotic romance novels Stately Pleasures (named in the top 5 of Cliterati.co.uk’s 100 Modern Erotic Classics That You’ve Never Heard Of), Eyes Wide Open (winner of the Love Romances Café’s Best Ménage Book 2015 award), The Persecution of the Wolves, Hiding in Plain Sight, Curve Appeal, and The Heiress’s Harem and The Dreadnoughts series. Including novels, short stories and novellas, she has over 170 publications to her name. Find out more about her and her writing at http://lucyfelthouse.co.uk/linktree
No2 Coffee House on The Delph, DE11 9DA
Price: £12.00 includes A Glass of Fizz and a Mini Mezze Platter
20:00 The Great Literary Quiz
Do you know your fact from your fiction, your writers from your poets, your classics from your moderns? Take part in this fun and friendly literary quiz. Teams of 4 to play. Booking is essential. Tickets are available via email from angiegriffin146@gmail.com
Swadlincote Constitutional Club, Midland Rd, DE11 0AN
Price: £1 per person
Sunday 10th March 2024
10:30-11:00 Kid’s Poetry Club with Attie Lime
Have fun with words through games, rhymes and hand crafts at this special Festival of Words session. Suitable for children aged 5-11, under 10’s must be accompanied by an adult. Booking is essential.
Tickets are available from: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/attie-lime-poetry.
Attie writes poetry for children. She enjoys time in the writing shed, and visiting schools to share poems. Attie has been a Primary School teacher, a Pre-School teacher, and a lava lamp polisher. She is a mum of three, a keen tea drinker, and can often be found running away from her own cat (he bites!). Attie's first solo collection of poetry for children will be published by Otter-Barry Books in 2025.
No2 Coffee House on The Delph, DE11 9DA
Price: £3 per child
10.00-16:00 Wings of Wonder with Honey Craft
Unleash your creativity, fly into the magical world of butterflies and moths, and create your own butterfly or moth wings from recycled paper. This drop-in activity is available all day. No booking is necessary.
Rosliston Forestry Centre, Burton Road, Rosliston, DE12 8JX
Free
10:30-11:30 Meet the Author: Paul Linnet
Paul is the author and illustrator of Supertato, the supermarket superhero who’s there for you when the chips are down. With 12 books in the series, Paul will be sharing stories and
anecdotes from them all. Booking is essential.
Paul Linnet was born in Brighton and grew up in the Midlands, reading Tintin and playing classic 80’s video games, before becoming obsessed with scribbling, writing, guitars, and motorcycles. He studied graphic design at Derby University, and later moved back to Brighton where he met Sue Hendra. They made up a story about a fish with fingers and then a slug with a doughnut for a shell, and now no one can stop them from writing more and more frankly ridiculous books. Paul still loves scribbling, writing, guitars, and motorcycles.
Swadlincote Library, Civic Way, DE11 0AN
Free
11.00 Meet the Author: Ig Oliver
Entertained by Sindeena the wicked
dragonfly witch, her twin sister Belliza as well as the mascot Bramley Bee, author Ig Oliver brings his story of The Butterfly Bee Lady and the Bee to life at the Rosliston Forestry Centre. Booking is recommended.
Writing has always been a hobby for Ig Oliver and a cathartic experience. Turning my passion into a fulfilling career as a professional author has been one of my his greatest life achievements. Since 2000, Ig has been busy publishing several books, constantly educating himself with new ideas and challenging himself with different writing techniques.
Rosliston Forestry Centre, Burton Road, Rosliston, DE12 8JX
Free
12.00 Meet the Author: Caryl Hart
Dressed as a character in the book ‘The Girl Who Planted Trees’ Caryl will tell the true story that inspired her to write the book and talk about our dreams and aspirations and how working together can help us achieve these before reading the story. Make a Ladybird of Dreams to take home. Booking is essential.
Caryl Hart is an award-winning children's author who writes picture books and young fiction. She runs creative literacy workshops for schools, libraries, communities and festivals. The Girl who Planted Trees won Teach Early Years Best Picture Book Award, 2022 and was chosen as one of the best books of 2022 by the U.K Children's Laureate, Joseph Coelho.
Meet the Oceans was one of Waterstones Best Books for Babies & Toddlers 2021 and Books for Topics' Best EYFS Curriculum Support 2021, and Girls Can Do Anything was shortlisted for the Independent Bookshop Week Book Award, 2019.
Her best-selling Princess series and Albie series have each sold over a quarter of a million copies, and and her books are published in numerous languages all over the world.
Swadlincote Town Hall, The Delph, DE11 0AG
Price: £5 per child
12:00-13:30 Meet the Author: Fiona Spence Arnold
Reading her book, ‘Rhamni Finds Her Wings’ Fiona will enchant listeners on the adventures of Rhamni, a Brimstone butterfly, in the search for the elusive Ghost Orchid. Teaming up with Max, a Mint moth, the pair set off on a perilous adventure, facing danger at every turn. Finish this wonderful adventure with a quiz.
Fiona Spence-Arnold lives in deepest, darkest Leicestershire with her family and bouncy dog. She writes funny chapter books and exciting adventures for children. When she’s not writing stories, she works in education policy for a sight-loss charity and tutors creative writing. Fiona can often be spotted catching story ideas whilst walking in the woods with her dog.
She’s thrilled her debut adventure chapter book for 8-10s, Rhamni Finds her Wings, is out now. Wonderfully illustrated in colour by Keith Turner and published sustainably by HoneyCraft.org as part of their MiniBEAST series aimed at getting children into nature. Part funded by The National Forest, it was launched at the Timber Festival in the heart of the forest. The book is on sale from www.Honeycraft.org Fox Books Leicester and is available to borrow from every library in The National Forest.
Rosliston Forestry Centre, Burton Road, Rosliston, DE12 8JX
Free
14:00-15:30 Writing for Wellbeing
Join Belinda Richards in this wonderful workshop exploring different writing activities designed to foster personal growth, increased mindfulness, and emotional wellbeing. Booking is essential.
No2 Coffee House on The Delph, DE11 9DA
Free
14:00 Meet the Dinosaurs with Caryl Hart
Join in with the rhymes and get ready to spot all the friendly (and not so friendly!) dinosaurs, from the huge Brontosaurus and amazing
Diplodocus to the speedy Velociraptor and scary T-Rex. Little ones will have an action-packed time and take away their own dinosaur masterpiece. Booking is essential.
Caryl Hart is an award-winning children's author who writes picture books and young fiction. She runs creative literacy workshops for schools, libraries, communities and festivals. The Girl who Planted Trees won Teach Early Years Best Picture Book Award, 2022 and was chosen as one of the best books of 2022 by the U.K Children's Laureate, Joseph Coelho.
Meet the Oceans was one of Waterstones Best Books for Babies & Toddlers 2021 and Books for Topics' Best EYFS Curriculum Support 2021, and Girls Can Do Anything was shortlisted for the Independent Bookshop Week Book Award, 2019.
Her best-selling Princess series and Albie series have each sold over a quarter of a million copies, and and her books are published in numerous languages all over the world.
Caryl lives in Sheffield with her family and loves walking in the hills, cycling and wild swimming.
Swadlincote Town Hall, The Delph, DE11 0AG
Price: £5 per child
This project is part-funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund #UKSPF
