As part of its ongoing community outreach, the Marlborough LitFest has donated £300 to local charity, Home-Start Kennet. The donation is to be spent on books from The White Horse Bookshop for volunteers to take to families and read with them.
Home-Start Kennet helps local families with young children experiencing tough times and volunteers provide weekly support in the home to help parents cope with challenges such as isolation, mental health issues, multiple birth and bereavement. Home-Start continues to help families during these difficult times, offering phone support whilst COVID-19 restrictions apply.
Joanne Kent, Fundraiser at Home-Start Kennet, said: “Marlborough Lit Fest’s book donation is a wonderful opportunity for Home-Start to share the joy of reading with children. Books will be given to volunteers to take on family visits – giving children, parents and volunteers those special moments of enjoying a book together.
The donation also means we can buy books as gifts for the children on special occasions, or when it’s time for our volunteers to say goodbye. None of this would be possible without this amazing donation from the Lit Fest. Thank you so much!
We know how much children enjoy books and Marlborough Lit Fest is helping us share the pleasure of reading with local children whose families are having a difficult time.”
Sarah Sharland of the Marlborough LitFest said: “We’re delighted to donate this money to a wonderful local charity and hope this helps the children, their parents and the volunteers at Home-Start Kennet to share and encourage a love of reading.”
Due to Covid-19 restrictions, this year’s Marlborough LitFest will not take place in its usual form, with a reduced festival programme. The annual Big Town Read will be a virtual event on Saturday 26 September at 6pm with author Louise Doughty. Registration is now open online, visit the LitFest website for more information.
The LitFest will continue its outreach programme, running activities for the community including free author talks for local primary schools as well as competitions for all ages.
For updated Festival information, please visit the website
For more information about Home-Start Kennet click here
Marlborough LitFest announces Love Books Competition winners
