Ilkley Literature Festival
I’m on the Board of Directors for the Ilkley Literature Festival. It’s fab! For the first fortnight of October every year, local people who love literature can revel in the fact that the literary world is coming to them, rather than the other way around.
We get some pretty big names. In 2008, we were delighted to welcome Alan Bennett, who out of the goodness of his heart did two performances for us when the first sold out in a couple of hours. We’ve also hosted Maya Angelou, and this year Cherie Blair is opening the festival
But we also support emerging writers by running a writing competition, offering a poetry residency, encouraging fringe performers and offering a stage to less mainstream but nevertheless loved and valued literary writers and poets. There’s also a children’s literature festival.
Running
Here are some pix from two 10k races I did with my partner, Tim, in the summer of 2008.
In both cases, lots of money was raised for charity and the events were great fun, with a sense of achievement thrown in on top. What more could anyone want?
Blackpool 10K Run
At the Jane Tomlinson Run