Rugby Literary Festival in pictures: Writers share experiences at town's exciting celebration

Rugby’s first ever exciting literary festival was a packed three days of over 30 events.

It included a book fair, author talks, poetry, author workshops and ghost walks around the Rugby Hotel.

An Evening With The Rugby Café Writers attracted a great audience of about 80, in St Andrew’s Church.

It was an amazing evening of entertainment with stories and poems from 20 members of the café writers, and entertaining music from special guests Ben Jennings and The Scutters.

Local author Lindsay Woodward, who runs her own marketing agency, remarked: “The first ever Rugby Literary Festival was a huge success, better than I imagined.

"I think it's really shown what literary talent we have across the area. I can't thank Rugby First, the council and everyone else involved enough for helping to make this happen."

Gill Ralph, President Elect, commented that ten members and friends of the Rotary Club of Rugby Saturday Breakfast had a good time at the Rugby festival.

They helped with greeting guests, introducing and thanking speakers and generally ensured the smooth running of events that took place in venues around the town, including the Rugby Hotel, the library, Nuova and St Andrew’s Church.

I enjoyed my non-fiction talk about my forthcoming book entitled From Farm to Barnardo’s.

I was pleased to share my Barnardo children photos from Morley Manor Barnardo’s Home, Derbyshire in the mid-1960s, especially as I cannot publish photos of the children I cared for 58 years ago due to the Data Protection Law of 2018.

My book is an extraordinary story of my childhood on the farm through intriguing descriptions and extensive research.

I’ve undertaken an emotional adventure of self-exploration and self-discovery of life, including the remarkable Barnardo’s Home with the children through my two year nursery nurse training and year as a staff nurse in the baby nursery.

In my fact or non-fiction event there were two other writers, Rachel Hobley of Flavour Narratives and Sandra Peachey author of Peachey Letters, who gave fascinating talks to a small but engaged audience.

Maybe Rugby Literary Festival will be on the festivals’ map for a second festival next year.

The festival took place from October 18 - 20.