Bradworthy Arts Festival has donated a number of books to local schools to help inspire them and encourage them to attend a talk being given by the author during the festival.

As ever, there are lots of things happening at venues in and around the village during the festival — from textiles and music to ceramics and photography.

One of the events taking place is a visit from award winning children’s author Claire Barker who will be giving a free talk at the festival on Sunday, May 5, from 11am in the Collacott Room of Bradworthy Memorial Hall.

Claire writes the ‘Knitbone Pepper’ and ‘Picklewitch and Jack’ books — the Knitbone Pepper series has been translated into eight languages.

She has been a runner up in the Sainsbury’s Children’s Fiction Award, shortlisted for the Fantastic Books Award and won The Book Factor; an award voted for exclusively by more than 2,000 children. She was also nominated, by Devon Libraries, for the prestigious Ruth Rendell Award, for the author who has done the most to champion literacy. She has performed on stage at a number of festivals, not to mention in front of thousands of children in schools around the country.

The festival is keen to work with and support local schools and donated some of Claire’s books ahead of her visit seemed like a good place to start, giving children a chance to get acquainted with the work and hopefully inspiring them come and meet her in person.

Also on during the festival will be a book based quiz for children on May 4, from 2pm to 3pm, also in the Collacott Room.

The event has been organised by the Friends of Holsworthy Library with prizes for the winners.

Five teams of five chilren are required — see the Friends of Holsworthy Library Facebook page for more information.