THE Charles Causley Festival returns this year, to coincide with the school May Whitsun holiday, and will take place from Friday, June 3, to Sunday, June 5.

Many of the events are free, and tickets for all other events are available from Launceston Tourist Information Centre.

This year sees many events planned especially for young people, which would have appealed to the poet who was a schoolteacher in Launceston.

On Friday, June 3, there will be a Charles Causley Walk with Arthur Wills at 10am, meeting at St Thomas Church.

A talk held by Tony Plant from 11am till 12noon in The Guildhall will cost £5.

A talk, walk and tour entitled ‘Writing with Causley’ from 1pm to 2pm will start at The Guildhall followed by a walk and private tour, cost £7. Afterwards, from 2pm to 3pm there will be a walk to Cyprus Well for a private tour of the house and at 3pm a plaque unveiling — this event is supported by The Charles Causley Trust.

The talk and discussion event ‘A Letter to Charles with Falmouth University’ will take place at Lawrence House Museum from 4pm until 5.15pm.

The inaugural Graham Facks-Martin event introduced by Bert Biscoe entitled ‘A Space to Write’ will be held from 5.30pm to 7pm at Lawrence House Museum.

A film will be screened at the town hall at 7.30pm, doors open at 7pm. The film 45 years shows a married couple preparing to celebrate their wedding anniversary but receiving shattering news, which promises to change the course of their lives. Adult tickets are priced at £5 and the film is Cert 15.

Later in the evening there will be music from Tir na nOg who will be making a rare appearance in Cornwall at the festival in No8 Café and Deli from 8pm til late.

On Saturday, June 4, there will be a ‘Lego with Causley’ event held at the Launceston Library, sponsored by the rotary Club, from 10am to 12noon and a second Charles Causley Walk with Jane Nancarrow from 11am to 12.30pm, which will meet at Eagle House — the walk is free but donations are gratefully accepted.

There will also be a free drop-in print workshop with Swanskin at the Town Hall, followed by live performance poetry with Martin Daws, which young people can join in. Slam poet Ben Norris follows Martin Daws, cost £3 each.

In the afternoon there will be a talk held by Mike Cooper in The Guildhall from 3pm to 4pm, cost £5.

Saturday evening will see Anna Maria Murphy and Rick Williams warm up the audience before Lemn Sissay takes the stage at 7pm, cost £10.

Story Republic will be performing at various locations around the town on Saturday for free and there will also be a Food and Drink Festival Market – The Best of Cornwall open from 10am until 6pm.

On Sunday, June 5, there is a Launceston walk with Rob Tremain meeting at 10.30 at the Castle, it is free but donations are gratefully welcomed.

A read and ride event with the Railway rabbits will be held at Launceston Steam railway from 10.30am to 3.30pm with the first reading being held at 11am, train times are available at www.launcestonsr.co.uk

A lunch session held at No8 Café and Deli will offer a reading of ‘In Another Country’ from David Constantine with music from Neil Davy and Jen Dyer, other wise known as Davy & Dyer, cost £8.

David Tovey will give a talk at 3pm at No8 entitled ‘Artists’ and Writers’ Homes and Gardens in the early years of the Lamorna Art Colony’, cost £5.

Tom Adams talk in the Guildhall is entitled ‘Tom Adams Uncovered’ and will showcase the artist’s best work from a career spanning 50 years, cost £5. Then as a finale to the weekend celebrating the life of Launceston’s best-loved poet, the film The Poet Charles Causley will be shown at Launceston Town Hall at 6.30pm.

This year’s festival has a wide range of talks, walks, workshops, music performances and films to offer and will demonstrate the life and works of the Cornish poet Charles Causley — they hope to see a large crowd this year.