Local bid members back bookcase trail

Added by Love Business East Midlands | 7 October 2020

UPDATED: 7 October 2020

BUSINESSES across North Nottinghamshire are taking part in LitFest’s First Chapters Trail to encourage local people to visit town centres and engage in socially distanced fun.

Managed by Liz Carney-Marsh on behalf of Bassetlaw District Council and funded by North Notts BID, the week-long event offers free virtual workshops, live online interviews and readings with a variety of different authors, and the First Chapters Trail to encourage people to participate outdoors.

The trail requires participants to hunt for special bookcases that hide secret ‘Artcodes’ and have been placed in businesses across Retford and Worksop – many of which are partnered with North Notts BID. Once scanned, these codes lead participants to footage of different authors – both international and local - as they read chapters from their favourite published books.

Sally Gillborn, chief executive at North Notts BID, said:

We’re so happy we could support LitFest again, even if things have to be done slightly differently this year. We want people to be able to enjoy the workshops and live streams from the comfort of their own homes, while still being able to participate in an element of the event outdoors. It’s great to see local businesses getting involved this year and we’re happy that we are able to invite people to visit these businesses, while still taking all the appropriate measures to keep them safe. LitFest is an event that we look forward to every year and it’s an amazing way to encourage young people to take more of an interest in reading and writing as schools begin to reopen.

Liz Carney-Marsh, North Nottinghamshire’s literary ambassador, said:

We had a lot of fun designing new ways for people to participate in the festival this year by giving them a reason to explore the local area in a safe and fun manner. The First Chapters Trail has enabled us to do all of those things at the same time, showcasing not just international bestselling writers, but also our wonderful community of local authors.

We’re also working with local author Charlie Mackesy to drop over £500 worth of his book 'The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse' at different locations across Worksop and Retford while the festival is running, which is a great way to encourage young people to get outdoors to track them down and get reading as the new academic year begins.

LitFest is running from 12 - 19 September 2020. To find out more, visit: www.nnlf.org.uk

To find out more about North Notts BID, visit northnottsbid.co.uk

 

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