Stratford Literary Festival celebrates 10 years of Books with Friends, as it also promotes a love of reading in youngsters
STRATFORD Literary Festival is making 10 years of Books with Friends – the group created to welcome new people to the area and to combat isolation and loneliness.
The group, which now numbers 40 people across three sessions each month, celebrated its birthday with an interview with award-winning author Susan Fletcher and a very special cake created by Becky Redshaw of Cleve Cottage Cakery in Welford.
While best-known for its twice-yearly festivals that, each spring and winter, bring the country’s most celebrated authors to the town, Stratford Literary Festival is a registered charity working throughout the year to enable as many people as possible to access and enjoy the benefits of reading.
The charity’s Schools’ Programme – developed in response to evidence that reading for pleasure is the single biggest indicator of a child’s future success, but there has also been a worrying decline in children reading for pleasure and in parents reading to their children– engages children with the magic of reading through author events.
Last year the festival reached over 4,000 children across 25 schools, working with 18 authors – and in 2025 the charity aims to better this target.
Festival director Annie Ashworth said: “It was wonderful to come together to celebrate ten years of Books with Friends, and I want to thank everyone who makes this important initiative possible, including Stratford Town Trust.
“Encouraging a life-long love of books is at the heart of our charitable mission, and we have been committed to this cause for the past 18 years. The benefits of reading are unquestionable. Books ignite the imagination, boost creativity, promote good mental health, and provide children with a foundation for better life outcomes. Research shows the positive impact on child-ren’s reading after an author visit to schools, and literary festivals like Stratford are uniquely placed to support schools in making this happen – at a time when teachers are so stretched.”
She continued: “None of this would be possible without the ongoing support we receive from our friends, benefactors, and the trusts and foundations and we are incredibly grateful. We are especially grateful this year to STRADFAS, the Arts Society Stratford, for giving us a grant to offer free books to children – too many children don’t have a book of their own at home.
“But we still need more help. We warmly welcome donations and funding, and every contribution makes a difference in bringing the joy of reading to those who need it most.”
Full details of the festival’s work and upcoming events can be found on their website at www.stratlitfest.co.uk where tickets to the spring festival, which runs from 8th-11th May, are also available.
