Treats in store for book lovers

Crossing The Tees Book Festival is a partnership of the Tees Valley library services and is supported by funding from Arts Council England.

Hartlepool’s community hubs and libraries will be hosting two ‘craftalong’ events, where people can come along to listen, watch and craft together or join in online via Zoom.

On Sunday 12th June make tracks to Community Hub Central in York Road for a Zoom reading from artist Josie George, the creator of climate change scarves, whose memoir A Still Life looks at the impact arts and crafts can have on the world, as well as telling her story as a disabled writer.

She’ll be interviewed digitally by Teesside’s own disability arts activist and former Festival poet-in-residence Lisette Auton. Bring your knitting, sewing or crochet!

If you’re a bit lacking in craft confidence, pop along before the author reading for a beginners’ crochet workshop with the Heugh Yarners.

On Tuesday 14th June make time for a gorgeous afternoon stroll around Hartlepool’s historic Headland, gathering a rainbow of natural objects as you go, then spend some time at the Headland library in Middlegate watching Emma Mitchell talking about her book A Wild Remedy – a guide to how creativity and the natural world can directly impact on our mental health.

The host will be Sarah Falconer from Steel River Crafts, who will bring nature-inspired simple art exercises so that you can doodle and create while you listen.

Denise Sparrowhawk, Hartlepool Borough Council’s Operations Librarian, said: “Crossing The Tees is a popular festival in the regional book lovers calendar. This year the focus is on improving people’s wellbeing after the pandemic, and it’s great to be able to give people the opportunity of taking part in ‘in person’ events again.

“There are some fascinating events to look forward to both in Hartlepool and the wider Tees Valley, with something, I’m sure, to suit all tastes and interests.”

For more information and to book places visit www.crossingthetees.org, where you’ll also find details of lots more festival events at libraries across the Tees area, from murder mysteries and humorous memoirs to poetry and debut novels.