The city council is planning to transform the site of Powderhall’s waste transfer station into affordable new homes.
Join us on Wednesday in-person or Thursday online to find out more, ask questions and share ideas.
Link will go live on the day:
https://orbitconsultations.scot/powderhallresidential/
Are you a fan of 80s music? Child Bereavement UK needs you! The charity is looking for music fans to give 4 hours of their time to volunteer at Let’s Rock Scotland selling wristbands and raffle tickets to raise funds to support its work. In return volunteers get to enjoy the rest of the event free of charge!
Child Bereavement UK helps families to rebuild their lives when a child grieves or when a child dies. The charity supports children and young people (up to the age of 25) when someone important to them has died or is not expected to live, and parents and the wider family when a baby or child of any age dies or is dying.
The line-up for Let’s Rock Scotland, which takes place on Saturday 18 June 2022 at Dalkeith Country Park, Edinburgh, includes Squeeze, OMD, Tom Bailey (Thompson Twins), Level 42 and Nick Heyward.
Lorna Murchie, Community Projects Manager for Child Bereavement UK said: ‘This year Child Bereavement UK is delighted to be the beneficiary charity of some of the UK’s most anticipated festivals and gigs.
“Our volunteers tell us they have a great time soaking up the festival atmosphere and seeing their favourite acts, in return for just a few hours of their time helping us raise much-needed funds. If you’re tempted to join in, please visit our website to find out how you can get involved .’
For more information on volunteering or to see a full list of events please visit:
https://www.childbereavementuk.org/Event/festivals
To find out more about the charity and for support please visit:
www.childbereavementuk.org or call 0800 02 888 40
Environment Minister Mairi McAllan has responded to the UK Government Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Bill in a letter to Mr George Eustice MP and Mr Alister Jack MP.
Letter to UK Government on Genetic Technologies (Precision Breeding) Bill
Ms Allan’s letter reads:
Dear George and Alister,
Thank you for your letter of 24 May to the First Minister and the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands concerning the UK Government’s Genetic Technologies (Precision Breeding) Bill. I am responding as the relevant issues fall within my own portfolio responsibilities as Minister for Environment and Land Reform.
I should begin by expressing my disappointment at the timing of your letter regarding the Bill, with your invitation for Scotland to join in the legislation coming the day before the Bill was introduced in the UK Parliament. Despite repeated earlier requests from the Scottish Government and other Devolved Administrations, a draft of the Bill was provided only on the afternoon before it was introduced, after your letter inviting us to participate in the Bill had already been shared with the media. This is unacceptable.
My officials continue to scrutinise the details of this legislation. While the intended scope of the Bill may be England-only, the Bill documentation itself is clear that it will have significant impacts on areas devolved to the Scottish Parliament. I note in particular that the Impact Assessment for the Bill states that “whilst this legislative change will only take effect in England, the mutual recognition element of the United Kingdom Internal Market (UKIM) Act means that products entering the market in England would also be marketable in both Scotland and Wales.”
Such an outcome is unacceptable. The Scottish Government remains wholly opposed to the imposition of the Internal Market Act, and will not accept any constraint on the exercise of its devolved powers to set standards within devolved policy areas.
Now that the Bill has been introduced, I understand Defra officials have suggested they discuss the UK Government’s plans to diverge from the common UK-wide GM regulatory regimes, through various relevant Common Frameworks.
Any discussions of this nature should have taken place prior to the introduction of the Bill to enable consideration of potential policy divergence. The fact that they have not is deeply regrettable – and, again, unacceptable.
We have been clear that we do not presently intend to amend the GM regulatory regime in Scotland to remove categories of products which are currently regulated as GMOs
. The views of stakeholders in Scotland will be central to decision-making in this devolved area of responsibility (as is our pursuit of the highest environmental standards more generally) and this encompasses views and evidence from the scientific community, views from across the spectrum of industry interests and, crucially, the views of consumers and the public as a whole.
The use of genetic technologies is a complex and emotive area, and it is abundantly clear that there are issues that need to be addressed if their use in our food system is to have the confidence of the public in Scotland and across the UK as a whole.
As your Impact Assessment to the Bill acknowledges, the market for precision-bred products “ultimately depends on prevailing consumer attitudes to products which contain genetically engineered material”, and “the public’s acceptance of GE and similar products remains an area of uncertainty.”
Your own consultation last year rejected the changes to the regulation of GM that you are now pursuing.
Consumer information and choice is key.
I am therefore extremely concerned that the UK Government’s preferred option, as set out in the Bill documentation, will not require labelling of precision-bred products. Not only does this obstruct the enforcement of our devolved powers to regulate produce covered by the GM crops, animals and food and feed regimes in Scotland, but I am firmly of the view that the public have a right to know what they are consuming.
Furthermore, there are serious considerations around trade, including with our biggest trading partner the European Union. In Scotland, we will be taking careful note of the European Commission’s ongoing consideration of the issues involved, including the public consultation currently being conducted by the Commission.
As your Impact Assessment for the Genetic Technologies (Precision Breeding) Bill acknowledges, removing gene-edited products from England’s GM regulatory regime would mean divergence from the EU approach and as such could have implications for compliance costs and future trade.
The Impact Assessment also raises the prospect that new trade barriers could come in the form of checks and certification requirements on UK food exports entering the EU’s single market. It states that this would not only affect products exported to the EU which contain precision-bred plant material, but also those in the same product categories which do not.
The UK Government’s refusal to commit to dynamic alignment with the EU has already led to very significant trade impacts for Scottish businesses. I have written to UK Ministers on numerous occasions regarding the loss to the Scottish seed potato industry of the EU export market, and yet no progress has been made by the UK Government in re-establishing that trade.
I see no reason to create further regulatory divergence on the regulation of GMOs, when the European Commission is in the process of conducting its own consultation on the issues. That instead presents a clear opportunity for dialogue with our key partners to ensure a co-ordinated approach to GM regulation and avoid further unnecessary barriers to trade, and to properly identify and address stakeholder concerns.
If the UK Government is determined to press ahead with this legislation, it must take steps to ensure that its revisions to the definition of a GMO do not force products on Scotland which do not meet standards here without the consent of the Scottish Parliament.
We look forward to your full co-operation as we seek to uphold devolution in this regard.
I am copying this letter to my counterparts in Wales and Northern Ireland for their information.
Yours sincerely,
Mairi McAllan
Tory MSP Murdo Fraser said: “This is an incredibly stupid and short-sighted decision by the SNP Govt – not least because it potentially disrupts trading arrangements with our largest export market which is the UK.
“Bad news for Scottish farmers and food producers.”
The General Secretary Designate of teachers union the EIS yesterday urged all of Scotland’s teachers to get active in the campaign to secure a 10% pay rise.
Ms Bradley addressed delegates on the final day of the EIS Annual General Meeting (AGM) at Dundee Caird Hall, and just ahead of a rally in support of the EIS ‘Pay Attention’ Campaign in the Civic Square outside the conference venue.
Addressing the AGM, Ms Bradley said, “The obvious and pressing priority is our Pay Attention campaign. We’ve staked our claim, nailed our colours to the mast … now we need to win.
“Listening to our speakers on the issue of pay over the last few days, I know we’ve got what it takes to win this. To win it because it’s simply unacceptable that teachers and other public sector workers would be expected to bear the burden of yet another crisis that’s been created by the economic vandalism of the Tory government and a Cabinet of millionaires …utterly morally bankrupt and more intent on callous racketeering and profiteering than they are on caring about people and supporting recovery.”
“We can’t allow COSLA to peddle the myth of the One Workforce agenda. Or the Scottish Government to quietly sit there on the side-lines being let off the hook by a raft of egalitarian-sounding rhetoric that’s in truth about pay suppression for teachers and by dint of that the rest of the public sector. We know One Workforce is utter fallacy and I have a sense that the other public sector unions know it as well.”
“If we’re to win a pay rise that protects teachers’ incomes from the worst of the cost of living increases, from every corner of the union, we need to keep building what will be a formidable display of our union strength. We’ve started building this – the press statements, the campaign materials, the branch meetings, the petition, the social media activity, and the demo outside this building later this morning.”
“With full-blown organising, comms and political campaigning… synchronicity of actions with local associations, we’ll be ballot ready, strike ready by October and with a strong industrial action strategy mapped out so that we’re strike ready and strike able.
“From the speeches and applause that we’ve heard this AGM about pay and the other inter-related injustices it sounds like you’re well up for taking this on …and so am I!”
COSLA STATEMENT ON PAY NEGOTIATIONS
COSLA is deeply disappointed that the First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Finance have refused the request of all Council Leaders to engage in discussions regarding the current settlement for Local Government and its significant impact on our ongoing pay negotiations.
The implications of the Scottish Government’s spending plans for the rest of the parliament are deeply concerning for communities across Scotland and have further increased the already strong likelihood of industrial action in the coming months.
Scottish Government continues to fail to respect the fundamental role Local Government and its workforce has in addressing their own priorities of tackling child poverty, climate change and a stronger economy.
The ‘Resource Spending Review’, published on 31 May, shows that Local Government’s core funding for the next 3 years will remain static at time when inflation and energy costs are soaring.
This “flat-cash” scenario gives no scope to recognising the essential work of our staff, whose expectations, quite rightly, are being influenced by Scottish Government’s decisions in relation to other parts of the public sector. A suggestion that increases in welfare payments will mitigate the cost of living crisis do not recognise that our staff should not have to depend on such payments to make ends meet.
As things stand, the only option available to Councils is yet fewer jobs and cuts to services that are essential to communities everywhere.
COSLA’s Resources Spokesperson Gail Macgregor said: “COSLA, every year, argues for fair funding for Local Government to maintain the essential services our communities rely on.
“No increase in our core funding damages these services and limits the options we have in successfully concluding pay negotiations. Refusal to engage in discussion will only see this continue and our communities will see and feel the difference.”
The Fraser of Allander Institute has recognised the impact on councils: “The local government budget will decline by 7% in real terms between 2022/23 and 2026/27 … the real terms erosion of the funding allocations of local authorities represents the continuation of a longer trend.”
UNISON, Scotland’s largest local government union, will be balloting its members in a dispute over pay. The union is planning targeted strike action – this means select groups of workers will be balloted.
UNISON is campaigning for a pay rise for ALL local government workers.
The groups that will be balloted for strike action are members employed working in schools, who provide services to the running and operation of the school, and all members working in early years and in waste and recycling services. The union is recommending that vote ‘YES’ in favour of strike action.
The ballot will run from 10 June and will close on 26 July. It is vital that all ballots are posted back in good time to ensure we receive them by closing date.
Why are we balloting?
Having consistently worked above and beyond to keep our key services going over the past two years of the pandemic, and with the cost of living spiralling, COSLA’s offer of a 2 per cent pay increase for local government workers is nothing short of an insult.
While politicians have raced to praise your efforts their warm words have not been matched by action.
Earlier this year we ran an online consultation to see what you and other local government members thought of the employers’ 2022 pay offer. It was no surprise that the overwhelming majority of you voted to reject the offer and indicated your willingness to take action to achieve a better deal.
Nothing has changed since then and we now need you to vote YES to take strike action to remind your employers exactly how you feel.
This offer is derisory. It is less than the Scottish Public Sector Pay policy, falls far short of our pay claim and is significantly below current levels of inflation. It will exacerbate the gap between those on the lowest and those on the highest rates of pay.
And it is in sharp contrast to the 5.2% increase that councillors themselves have just received from 1st April 2022.
GMB Scotland has attacked “failure at all levels of government” as an industrial action ballot across local government gets underway this morning (Monday 6 June) against the threats of a 2 per cent pay offer and swingeing cuts to local jobs and services.
Nearly 10,000 GMB members in waste and cleansing and schools and early years services will be asked if they back strikes in the face of a pay offer from employer body COSLA amounting to less than £10 a week for staff earning under £25,000 a year.
Joint trade unions in local government wrote to the First Minister and the Finance Secretary last week seeking urgent talks and warned about the consequences for council workers of significantly below inflation pay with the cost of living at a forty-year high.
The ballot, which runs throughout the summer until Tuesday 26 July, also takes place amid dire forecasts for local government budgets following the Scottish Government’s spending review plans.
GMB Scotland Senior Organiser Keir Greenaway warned: “Council workers and the vital services they deliver are firmly in the sights of Kate Forbes’s cuts agenda, and if left unchallenged the lowest paid will pay the highest price in the biggest cost-of-living crisis for 40 years.
“This is what years of failure at all levels of government looks like – a decade of failed austerity, the passing on of cuts to communities, and a meek acceptance of the consequences locally. It’s a far cry from the doorstep applause of virtue-signalling political leaders just two years ago.
“It shows everyone there are no political superheroes and if you want wages that confront soaring inflation then you need to organise and fight for it.
“That’s exactly what our members are doing and unless an improved pay offer is tabled then industrial action looks inevitable.”
Over 50,000 railway workers will walkout as part of 3 days of national strike action later this month, in the biggest dispute on the network since 1989.
The union will shut down the country’s railway network on 21st, 23rd and 25th June, due to the inability of the rail employers to come to a negotiated settlement with RMT.
Network Rail and the train operating companies have subjected their staff to multiyear pay freezes and plan to cut thousands of jobs which will make the railways unsafe.
Despite intense talks with the rail bosses, RMT has not been able to secure a pay proposal nor a guarantee of no compulsory redundancies.
In a separate dispute over pensions and job losses, London Underground RMT members will take strike action on June 21st.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “Railway workers have been treated appallingly and despite our best efforts in negotiations, the rail industry with the support of the government has failed to take their concerns seriously.
“We have a cost-of-living crisis, and it is unacceptable for railway workers to either lose their jobs or face another year of a pay freeze when inflation is at 11.1pc and rising.
“Our union will now embark on a sustained campaign of industrial action which will shut down the railway system.
“Rail companies are making at least £500m a year in profits, whilst fat cat rail bosses have been paid millions during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“This unfairness is fuelling our members anger and their determination to win a fair settlement.
“RMT is open to meaningful negotiations with rail bosses and ministers, but they will need to come up with new proposals to prevent months of disruption on our railways.”
A snap poll from the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and Opinium showed the cost of living was the top issue for 75% of the Scottish electorate when casting their ballot in May.
This was followed by 60% citing the NHS as their primary concern, with public services (21%), housing (15%), Brexit (20%) and the environment (19%) all taking voter preference over the constitution (14%).
The news was cited as a ‘wake-up call’ from the Scottish Trades Union Congress leader Roz Foyer, who will host a specific cost of living crisis summit on June 17th with the Poverty Alliance.
Ms Foyer said: “These elections should be a wake-up call to all levels of government – local, Scottish and UK – that workers throughout the country need urgent and sustained help in the face of this brutal attack on their living standards.
“By far and away, with 75% of the electorate in Scotland citing the cost of living crisis as their top concern, with health, housing and the environment their taking preference over the constitution, all incoming councillors must make this their most urgent priority.
“Our local government manifesto made clear we need sustained investment from the Scottish Government to local authorities throughout the country, helping to deliver a real terms pay increase for our public sector workers. This is in addition to delivering on rent freezes, settling equal pay disputes and introducing universal free school meals throughout the country.
“This is the type of real terms action we need from councillors and government throughout Scotland. Our movement, with affiliates currently balloting for industrial action across the country, are not standing idle whilst workers face this material threat to their living conditions.”
Bill passes allowing nationals from certain countries to stand as local councillors
An electoral reform bill allowing nationals from countries where a relevant treaty has been agreed, including Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal and Spain, to become local councillors has been passed by the Scottish Parliament.
All resident nationals from these countries will be able to stand for election as a councillor in Scotland, even if they only have limited leave to remain and even if that leave is set to expire during their term of office, under the Bill.
This follows changes made in 2020, which ensured all resident nationals from EU countries can vote in local elections and that those with settled status or pre-settled status can stand as candidates in local government elections.
The Bill will grant candidacy rights in Scottish local government elections to people from Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal and Spain living in Scotland who do not have settled status or pre-settled status in accordance with the treaties covering local election participation.
The Bill also allows Scottish Ministers to add to the list of countries through regulations if further treaties are signed.
Minister for Parliamentary Business George Adam said: “This Bill makes a small – but important – change to the law to ensure all nationals of Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal and Spain can stand as candidates in Scottish local government elections.
“Scots Law already allows Scotland to go further than most other countries in allowing all resident foreign nationals with any form of leave to remain to vote in Scottish Parliament and Scottish local government elections, but candidacy rights are limited to those with indefinite leave to remain and EU nationals with pre-settled status.
“This is all about open, fair, wide and transparent democracy and I look forward to further debate over the course of the year on a wider expansion of candidacy rights.”
Scotland’s most talented young debaters took to the floor of the Holyrood Debating Chamber this week to take part in the final of a national competition.
Aimee Ross and Orla McMichael from Fortrose Academy were declared the winners after debating the emergence of ‘cancel culture’. Jenna Padget and Jennifer Chen from the High School of Glasgow came second.
The Donald Dewar Memorial Debating Tournament is Scotland’s largest annual schools debating tournament and is open to pupils in all Scottish secondary schools.
Organised and run by the Law Society of Scotland, the tournament is dedicated to the memory of the former First Minister Donald Dewar MSP, who died in 2000.
It is the culmination of a tournament which involved 64 teams from schools across Scotland. Along the way, pupils have debated subjects ranging from university fees to arming the police as well as if civil disobedience is acceptable in tackling environmental issues.
Appearing in the final were pupils from the following schools:
Speaking after the event, Deputy Presiding Officer Liam McArthur MSP said: “I’m so pleased to once again welcome some of Scotland’s young people to the Parliament’s Debating Chamber for the culmination of this national competition. I’ve been so impressed by the quality of debate that we’ve heard.
“I send my best wishes to all the pupils who worked so hard to make the final of this competition. It was very closely fought but congratulations to Fortrose Academy for being awarded the overall prize.”
Deputy President of the Law Society of Scotland, Sheila Webster said: “It was brilliant to be back in such an impressive venue after a difficult few years. I’d like to thank the Scottish Parliament for hosting and also our chairperson, the judges and sponsors for their continued support.
“The judges had a hard time picking a winning team and the skills displayed by all teams were worthy of the Scottish Parliament. I was impressed to see the teams developing and then presenting strong arguments while under tight time pressure and without external help.”
The winning school took home the top prize of £1000 and those coming second were awarded £250 from the Law Society of Scotland.
The Royal Highland Show has partnered with craft distillers Avva Scottish Gin to create a special limited-edition gin celebrating 200 years since the very first Show took place.
The gin contains botanicals from the eight regions where the Show traditionally visited every year, before it settled at its current Ingliston showground in 1960.
The bespoke recipe of 12 botanicals includes dandelion, mint, nettle, red clover and honey that have been sourced from the 8 regions. These are combined with traditional botanicals including juniper, citrus peels, angelica root and a few secret ingredients to create a classic juniper-forward Scottish gin.
The bottle artwork features beautiful archive paintings of historic Highland Show winners – a Leicester tup, painted by Mr John Sheriff c.1844, plus a Clydesdale stallion c.1866 and a polled Angus c.1843, both painted by Mr Gourley Steel R.S.A.
All three paintings are proudly displayed in Ingliston House, headquarters of RHS organisers the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS).
Every region is still celebrated in turn at the Royal Highland Show each year through a Presidential Team, which this year hails from the Highlands & Islands.
Avva Scottish Gin is distilled in Elgin, in the heart of the famous Speyside distilling region. Moray Distillery Ltd launched Avva Scottish Gin in 2016 and have since gone onto produce an award-winning portfolio of spirits.
The limited-edition gin can be purchased by visiting the online shop at royalhighlandshow.org.
RHASS Chairman, Bill Gray, commented: “We are very excited to launch this special gin, commemorating 200 years since the first Highland Show took place in 1822.
“Avva Scottish Gin is a perfect example of a brand that is innovating and using their position in the Highlands & Islands to their advantage – their unique location allows them to create a delicious, high-quality craft gin.
“The eight regional botanicals blend perfectly with one another and we hope Highland Show fans will join us in raising a glass to 200 years of this very special show!”
Jill Brown, Distiller and Director at Moray Distillery Ltd, the home of Avva Scottish Gin, added: “It really is such a privilege and honour to be involved with this gin and celebrate 200 years of the Show. The distillation is carried out using a botanical basket on our still, Jessie-Jean, who is the UK’s first Scottish-made gin still.
“The Royal Highland Show is an event I’ve personally attended for around 20 years, initially to help show North Country Cheviot sheep and since 2016 with my company, which initially was an idea born out of visit to the food hall at the show.”
Supported by Royal Bank of Scotland, the Royal Highland Show will take place at the Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston, Edinburgh, on 23-26 June 2022.
Tickets, including for car parking, must be pre-purchased online this year and no tickets will be available to buy on the gate. Tickets are limited in number this year with sell out days anticipated, so it is advised to purchase early.
For further information and to purchase tickets please visit: www.royalhighlandshow.org.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published its first technical briefing on the ongoing monkeypox outbreak. The briefing shares UKHSA analysis with other public health investigators and academic partners.
This first publication includes updated epidemiological data, with evidence from anonymised detailed interviews with patients which are helping us to understand transmission and to determine how to target interventions.
Of the cases interviewed, 81% were known to be London residents and 99% were male. The median age of confirmed cases in the UK was 38 years old.
152 cases participated in more detailed questionnaires. In this data, 151 of the 152 men interviewed identified as gay, bisexual, or men who have sex with men, or reported same sex contact. Recent foreign travel, within 21 days prior to symptom onset, was reported by 75 cases, with 59 of these reporting travel within Europe.
We also share preliminary assessment of the genomic differences between the outbreak virus and previous monkeypox viruses. In any emerging infection outbreak we assess the virus or bacteria for any changes. We will be working to investigate the significance of the mutations identified so far to determine if they will have any impact on the virus’ behaviour
Dr Meera Chand, Director of Clinical and Emerging Infections, UKHSA said: “We are working, both in the UK and together with global partners, to progress the investigations that we need to help us better understand the virus, its transmission and the best use of mitigations such as vaccines and treatments. We use the new data rapidly to inform the public health response and we continue to work to reduce transmission.
“We are grateful to all those who have come forward for testing and the patients who continue to help us understand the outbreak through participating in studies and investigations.”
UKHSA has identified a number of aspects of this outbreak which require further investigation. We will release the results of our ongoing investigations in subsequent technical briefings – these will be published regularly.
Police colleagues waved off Inspector Jonny Elliott yesterday after 29 years service – over 20 of which were spent in Drylaw!
Colleagues said: “His work in the local community is unparalleled and he will be greatly missed by all the officers and staff in Edinburgh Division. All the best with the retirement, Boss!”
· New indies opening just in time for IBW
· Kate Mosse, Annie Garthwaite, Shon Faye, William Sieghart, A. M. Dassu, Sarah Winman, Jayson Reynolds, Joanna Cannon, Melvyn Bragg and more to join bookshop celebrations
· 50th anniversary festivities, the first IBW BookTok tour, cooking demonstrations, translation discussions, eco bag-making sessions, Bookshop.org events and much more
· New indie twinning between Topping & Fitzcarraldo, Bookhaus & Charco Press, Books on the Hill & VERVE Books, Gloucester Road Books & Little Toller among others
18 – 25 June 2022
The Booksellers Association (BA) is delighted to announce additional events and bookshop openings ahead of this year’s Independent Bookshop Week, the annual celebration of independent bookshops in the UK and Ireland taking place between 18-25 June 2022 and with Hachette as the headline sponsor.
L-R: A. M. Dassu; the inaugural IBW BookTok Tour; Kate Mosse; Sheryl Shurville from Chorleywood Bookshop
A cohort of new independent bookshops will be ready to welcome new customers across the UK, opening just in time for Independent Bookshop Week or moving into new premises ahead of the week.
New indies include:
· The Book Hive will be opening their doors during IBW in Aylsham, North Norfolk
· Imagined Things in Harrogate have just opened their new premises on Saturday 4 June
· Night Owl are a newly opened indie in East Linton, Scotland
· Bert’s Books have recently opened their doors in Swindon
· The Cleeve Bookshop Limited has opened last April in Cheltenham
· Book Bodega have recently opened in Ramsgate, Kent
· The Manga Crate is a specialist bookshop that opened this spring in Telford, Shropshire
Independent booksellers up and down the country have been busy organising a huge range of activities to celebrate Independent Bookshop Week, from 50th anniversary celebrations to poetry showcases and cooking demonstrations, and from events in atmospheric local churches to Jane Austen-themed parties and eco-bag making sessions.
The line-up for IBW 2022 includes:
BOOKSHOP EVENTS
· Chorleywood Bookshop will be celebrating their 50th anniversary as well as IBW with a packed week of events, including: an evening with Rev Richard Coles to discuss his new book Murder Before Evensong on Monday 20 June; an evening with best-selling writer and broadcaster Melvyn Bragg, talking about his captivating memoir, Back in the Day on Wednesday 22 June; best-selling crime writer, actor and comedian Mark Billingham will be bookseller for a day on Friday 24 June, and much more. More info here.
· Authors and bookshop lovers Liz Fenwick and Brigid Coady will be setting up in their annual bookshop crawl with the Romantic Novelists Association, visiting indie bookshops including: The Ivybridge Bookshop, St Ives Books, Edge of the World Books, Padstow Bookseller, Falmouth Bookshop, The Book Shop Liskeard, Shrew Books and Hurley Books, as well as the newly opened Bert’s Books in Swindon (on their way back!).
· Niche Comic Books (Huntingdon) will host an open mic poetry night with poet, musician and storyteller Fay Roberts on Thursday 23 June, and an acoustic night with talented singer-songwriter Christian Smith on Friday 24 June, both at The Commemoration Hall in Huntingdon. More info here and here.
· Harris & Harris Books (Suffolk) will be hosting a talk with Annie Garthwaite, author of the outstanding debut novel Cecily, to discuss her book, do a reading and sign copies in the atmospheric Clare Church on Wednesday 22 June. More info here.
· One Tree Books (Petersfield) will be visited by best-selling author Kate Mosse, one of the contributors of Marple: Twelve New Stories, a new collection of short stories featuring the Queen of Crime’s legendary detective Jane Marple, penned by twelve acclaimed authors, on Wednesday 22 June. More info here.
· Confer-Karnac Bookshop (London) will be celebrating IBW and the first year in their new Spitalfields home with all-day celebrations on Saturday 25 June. Expect a book launch with author Anne Power, 15% off on all books all day, a talk on ‘How to Get Published’ with Christina Wipf Perry (Publishing Director) and Catharine Arnold (Author and Editor of The New Psychotherapist), an afternoon of tea and cake, and much more! More info here.
· October Books (Southampton) will be holding two free events for IBW: on Thursday 23 June, join translators Megan Berkobien and María Cristina Hall in conversation via Zoom to discuss Montserrat Roig’s first novel, Goodbye, Ramona, a powerhouse story told through the point of view of three generations of women from the same family. On Saturday 25 June, there will be an in-person event with consultant clinical psychologist and author Isabel Clarke, to learn how to transform anger from a problem into a valuable resource, based on her illuminating self-help book How to Deal With Anger. More info here and here.
· The Ivybridge Bookshop is planning a session of children’s storytelling with author Clare Helen Welsh onSaturday 18 June, based on her book Slime? It’s Not Mine! On Tuesday 21 June, they will hold a Travel Writing Evening with authors Caroline Born, Mary Considine, Biku Ghosh, Andy Grigg and Eric Marks, and on Wednesday 22 June there will be a Romantic Fiction Morning with Liz Fenwick, Veronica Henry, Esme King and Rosie Walsh, including the paperback launch of The Impulse Purchase by Veronica Henry and The Love of My Life by Rosie Walsh. On Thursday 23 June, there will be a Poetry Evening with Margaret Arnold, Laurence McPartlin, Gill McEvoy and Annie Jenkin. More info here.
· Booka Bookshop (Oswestry) are organising a virtual school event on Wednesday 22 June with Naomi and James Jones for the book One More Try (OUP), with a school class going into the bookshop itself to join in the virtual event with Naomi and James from there.
· Nomad Books (London) are holding three events to mark IBW: a special workshop for children with Jess Rose, author of Fantastic Frankie on Saturday 18 June; an evening with Clare Pooley on Wednesday 22 June to discuss her book The People on Platform 5; and a special tasting on Saturday 25 June with Aparna Prinja and Shital Shah, based on their book Plant Milk Power. More info here.
· Kibworth Books will be holding a Jane Austen celebration with local writer Gemma Barder, author of the Easy Classics series (Sweet Cherry), on Saturday 25 June, and a signing session in the bookshop with A.M. Dassu to mark the publication of Fight Back on Thursday 23 June. More info here.
· Book Haus (Bristol) are hosting a great deal of celebrations for IBW: on Monday 20 June they will be hosting an event with Shon Faye to celebrate the paperback launch of The Transgender Issue (Penguin). On Wednesday 22 June they’ll hold a launch for A Woman’s Game (Faber) by Suzanne Wrack, with the event chaired by the head of Bristol City women’s supporters club, D.M. Withers. On Saturday 25 June they will be hosting a launch for Sink the Pink (Quarto) by Glyn Fussell; Sink the Pink is the biggest LGBTQ+ collective in the UK, and this event will be run as part of Bristol Pride. More info here.
· Gloucester Road Books (Bristol) will be doing an event with Sandor Katz, who will be joining them at the nearby B&A Church Hall on Friday 24 June to talk about his books about fermentation, including Fermentation Journeys (Chelsea Green) and give a demonstration! More info here.
· BOOK Leighton Buzzard will hold a pre-IBW event with author, comedian and podcast host Andrew Hunter Murray, to discuss his new book The Sanctuary on Thursday 17 June; on Friday 24 June, there will be an evening conversation with Ruth Hogan about her new book, Madame Burova; author and comedian Olaf Falafel will be running a story time, drawing session and will be illustrating a window of the bookshop based on his new book, Blobfish on Saturday 25 June. More info here.
· The Bookshop on the Green (Bournville, Birmingham) will hold a pre-IBW storytelling session for under 5s on Friday 17 June inspired by Julia Donaldson’s Tales from Acorn Wood; Steve Smallman will be coming to the bookshop with his latest Maggie Sparks books on Saturday 18 June; Thursday 23 June will see an Open Mic Night with poet Chloe Hanks. In addition to author events, the bookshop will be giving out High Five £5 vouchers when spending more than £10 and there will be 10% off all purchases all week, plus a Lucky Dip to win a special prize. More info here.
· Bert’s Books (Swindon) will have author signings throughout IBW, including: on Sunday 19 June Joanna Cannon, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Trouble with Goats and Sheep and Three Things About Elsie, will be doing a signing and working as a guest bookseller; on Monday 20 June, Sarah Winman, who is shortlisted in the Indie Book Awards for Still Life, will be visiting the shop; on Tuesday 21 June they will be visited by Sunday Times bestselling author CL Taylor; on Wednesday 22 June, BBC presenter and author Sarah Cox will be doing a signing of her new novel Thrown; on Friday 24 June they will be welcoming Nadine Matheson, author of The Binding Room; on Saturday 25 June children’s illustrator Steve Antony will be doing a set of activity for kids.
· BookBar (London) will be holding the launch party of Winnie M Lie, author of Complicit on Tuesday 21 June. More info here.
· The Bridge Bookshop (Port Erin, Isle of Man) will be organising an event with Fiona Gell, author of Spring Tides as part of their IBW activity.
· Hunting Raven (Frome) will be holding an author event with Winnie M Li in conversation with Libby Page, author of The Island Home, on Thursday 23 June, to discuss female ambition and male privilege in the workplace, breaking the silence and building community. More info here.
· The Book Nook (Stewarton) are running a variety of events for adults and children throughout Independent Bookshop Week. The line-up includes: Lindsay Littleson will be doing a children’s story writing workshop and book signing on Saturday 18 June; on Sunday 19 June, Jacquelyn Armour will be signing and talk about her book Follow Your Joy; on Monday 20, you can find out more about local history from authors Dane Love and Frank Beattie; on Tuesday 21 June, Lorraine Johnston, author of The Story Behind the Stories will be sharing inspiring story of how a challenging diagnosis led to her becoming a children’s author; crime writers Douglas Skelton and Morgan Cry will be doing a talk and book signing on Wednesday 22 June; on Thursday 23 June there will be an event with authors Michael Malone and Kenny Boyle; and on Saturday 25 June there will be a workshop with children’s illustrator Petra Baillie and an author talk and signing with Sharon Bairden. More info here.
· Phlox Books (London) will be having writer and journalist Lucy Mangan, author of Are We Having Fun Yet? working as a guest bookseller on Wednesday 22 June.
· Mr B’s Emporium (Bath) will be doing an author event with Natasha Pulley, who will be discussing her new novel The Half Life of Valery K on Tuesday 21 June and an event with Lucy Mangan on Saturday 25 June. More info here.
· Shelf Life Books and Zines (Cardiff) invites customers to make their own book bag made out of recycled bouncy castle fabric with Shelf Life and Twin Made on Thursday 23 June. All materials will be provided, no sewing experience needed. More info here.
· Five Leaves (Nottingham) will be holding a charming event with Zoe Howe, author of Witchful Thinking: The Wise Woman’s Handbook for Creating A Charmed Life on Wednesday 22 June. More info here.
· Cookbookbake (Hove)are inviting customers to embark on a culinary journey along the ancient spice routes with Eleanor Ford, author of The Nutmeg Trail, on Saturday 18 June, and will be hosting a discussion and cooking demonstration of authentic Indian cooking with Torie True, inspired by her cookbook Chilli & Mint. More info here and here, and on their Instagram page @cookbookbake1.
· Max Minerva’s (Bristol) are holding an event with author Emma Stonex, who is shortlisted in the Indie Book Awards for The Lamplighters, her uncategorisable mystery/thriller about love and loss, on Monday 20 June. They will also be joined by food writer and founder of Bristol charity 91 Ways Kalpna Woolf, author of Eat, Share, Love, and Miranda El Khazen of Lebanese food importers Shorkk, to discuss the role of food in the community on Tuesday 21 June. More info here and here.
· Westbourne Bookshop (Bournemouth) will be celebrating IBW and handing out goodie bags all week. Andreina Cordani will be kicking IBW off with a special blog, and Joanna Quinn will be popping in to sign her new book The Whalebone Theatre, which was inspired by the local area. To end it we will be celebrating the Bookshop’s birthday (there will be cake)!
· The Steyning Bookshop (West Sussex) will be holding ‘An Evening with Two Sussex Crime Writers: Graham Bartlett & Lesley Thomson’ on Friday 24 June. Graham Bartlett, ex policeman and now advisor to crime writers, will introduce his debut novel Bad for Good, while popular crime novelist Lesley Thomson will introduce her new book The Companion. More info here.
· Sevenoaks Bookshop (Kent) will be open for an after-hours browse on Friday 24 June with special offers, music and delicious local wines, beer and soft drinks from their newly licensed bar. There will also be a free glass of Pimms for everyone who can make it! William Sieghart, author of The Poetry Pharmacy, will be running a poetry consultancy in the café. Torie True, author of the cookbook Chilli & Mint, will be signing copies of her book and serving some of her delicious recipes including her Sri Lankan Coconut Dahl. And Sophia Kingshill, author of Mermaids, will be signing copies of her gorgeous book in the shop. More info here.
· ebb & flo bookshop (Chorley) is holding a book signing with The Happy News creator Emily Coxhead, to celebrate the launch of her new children’s picture book, Find Your Happy on Saturday 18 June. More info here.
· Much Ado Books (Alfriston, East Sussex) will be joined by historian and Oxford professor Emma Smith, author of Portable Magic: A History of Books and their Readers, to discuss her wide-ranging tour of human history viewed through the lens of the book and its development on Saturday 25 June. More info here.
· Dark Peak Books & Gifts (Glossop), formerly known as Bay Tree Books & Gifts, will be unveiling their rebranded bookshop on the first day of IBW, Saturday 18 June, celebrating with fizz and cake. They will be offering tote bags full of goodies to customers when they spend over £30 during IBW.
· Edge of the World Bookshop (Penzance) are holding a great deal of celebrations for IBW: on Saturday 18 June artists and illustrators Emily Powell and Sarah Moore will be creating a special bookshop window, ahead of an event where they’ll talk about the power of art for your mental wellbeing; on Thursday 23 June, Joanna Nadin will be visiting local a primary school and entertaining children with stories about the very worst class in the world; also on Thursday 23 June Sharon Wright, author of Mother of the Bronte’s will share the secrets behind Penzance’s connection to the most famous literary family of all; on Friday 24 June, Jane Johnson will be launching her new book The White Hare in the Solomon Browne Hall, Mousehole. More info here.
· Seven Stories, the National Centre for Children’s Books (Newcastle upon Tyne) will be welcoming local author Saviour Pirotta for a wonderful session for over 7s to hear his stories and take part in activities on Saturday 25 June. In addition, they’ll have a guest window decorated by a local illustrator, a special signed book display, and an extra special family bingo night! More info here.
· Bookshop by the Blackdowns (Wellington, Somerset) will welcome ‘Queen of Historical Fiction’, Emma Carroll on Saturday 18 June, where she will be doing a book signing, promoting her new book Escape to the River Sea, a sequel to Eva Ibbotson’s Journey to the River Sea. More info here.
· Books Alive (Hove) will be doing an event on Saturday 18 June with local writer Jocelyn-Anne Harvey, author of Not Knowing but Still Going, a buoyant hope for uncertain times, where she will talk about how she came to write this unusual book on how it might have felt for the women who would have been on Noah’s Ark. More info here.
· Collected Books (Durham) will hold an event on Monday 20 June at St Chad’s College bringing together Avril Joy and Anna Barker, two County Durham-based writers to read from their recently published short story collections and discuss their experience of writing across the range of forms, from novel to story to poem. More info here.
· Blue Bear Bookshop (Farnham) will hold a book launch event with Becky Jerams and Ellie Wyatt, for their book The Songs You’ve Never Heard, a contemporary celebrity YA ‘booksical’ – a YA novel accompanied by an album of songs featured in the story – on Thursday 23 June. On Friday 24 June, there will be an evening with Ed Patrick discussing his comedy career and latest book – Catch Your Breath.More info here and here.
· The Rabbit Hole (Brigg) will be holding The Totally Locally Brigg Indie Market on Saturday 18 June, with locally based authors and musicians taking place in the market as well as outside and inside the shop during the day, to celebrate IBW and indies. On Wednesday 22 June, they will do an evening event with Matson Taylor, talking about his new book All About Evie, sequel to The Miseducation of Evie Epworth, which includes a number of local references. On Thursday 23, they’re holding a live Zoom event with local schools with children’s author Aisha Bushby. Finally, on Friday 24 June, Indie Book of the Month author A. M. Dassu will be visiting the shop. Throughout IBW, The Rabbit Hole will also be collaborating with Hull City Council at The Big Malarkey Festival. More info here.
BOOKTOK TOUR
Independent Bookshop Week 2022 will see its first ever BookTok Tour, with participating BookTokers from Northumberland, London, Manchester, St Neots (Cambridgeshire), York, Sunderland, Cambridge, Wolverhampton and Banchory (Aberdeenshire) joining the celebrations by visiting their local independent bookshops and sharing content about the Indie Book Awards.
Participating BookTokers include: anya.reads (61.6K folloers), booksbyz (98K followers), daisreads (100.4K followers), frostgalaxy (20.8K followers), ninasbookshelf (31.3K followers), the_caffeinatedreader (37.5K followers), tolusuniverse (42.7K followers), whatbritreads (49.3K followers) and bowiesbooks (16.3K followers).
PODCAST AND ONLINE
· Bookshop.org, the online bookstore that supports independent bookshops, will be holding two virtual events during IBW: on Thursday 23 June, Jason Reynolds,who is shortlisted for the Indie Book Awards for When I Was the Greatest (illustrated by Akhran Girmay), will be in conversation with Carolynn Bain from Afrori Books at 7pm; on Tuesday 21 June, BodéAboderin (AKA Papa B) willdiscuss Fatherhood by Papa B with Candice Brathwaite and fellow fathers and father-figures Tom Cox, Robert Douglas and Niran Vinod at 7pm. Tickets to both events are available to all customers that buy a copy of the books form a participating indie, or from Bookshop.org. In addition, Bookshop.org will be holding a virtual event with Indie Book Awards shortlistee Michelle Zauner, author of Crying in H Mart, to be broadcast just after IBW.
· Simon Savidge and Melanie Sykes, the official Book Club for Indie Bookshop Week, will be reading the Indie Book Awards shortlisted book Scoff by Pen Vogler for their June Book Club, which they will then discuss on their YouTube channel. More info here.
· Round Table Books (London) will be hosting a podcast recording of Down the Rabbit Hole, the podcast for grown-ups who love children’s books, hosted by Caroline Carpenter, Hannah Love, Charlie Morris and Sam Sedgman. The episode will see the special guest Namina Forna, YA author of The Merciless One (Usborne) in conversation with guest host Stacey Thomas, book reviewer at Bad Form Review and judge on The Diverse Book Awards longlist. The episode will air on Saturday 18 June, the first day of IBW. More info here.
· Gerrards Cross Bookshop (Buckinghamshire)will be hosting a recording a show of the podcast We’d Like A Word, a radio show and podcast about the words we write, the words we read, the words we say, hosted by Paul Waters and Stevyn Colgan. In their special IBW episode, they’ll interview author Conn Iggulden as well as bookseller Sheryl Shurville. More info here.
· Denny’s Books (Thames Ditton, Surrey)will be hosting an episode of the podcast Writers Routine, a show discussing the work and lives of writers, hosted by Dan Simpson. More info here.
INDIE TWINNING
· Topping & Company Edinburgh will be twinning with award-winning indie press Fitzcarraldo Editions. There will be a bespoke window display, tote bags and postcards available throughout the week.
· Books on the Hill (St Albans) will be twinning with VERVE Books, with celebrations including: author event with Jane Jesmond on Saturday 18 June in the bookshop; podcast episodes with VERVE authors Laurie Petrou and Carolyn Kirby; a social media giveaway for a personalised book buying experience at Books on the Hill; co-branded bookmarks; an special IBW window display and more. More info here.
· Next Page Books (Hitchin) will be teaming up with children’s book publisher Barrington Stoke during IBW. They will hold an ‘Introduction to Barrington Stoke’ evening event for local parents and carers in the shop on Tuesday 21 June, where Jane Walker will talk about how their amazing books can help children break down barriers to reading and ensure that ‘every child can be a reader’. In addition, Jane will also be a bookseller for a day on the same day, helping with displays, booking in stock and chatting to customers!
· Bookhaus (Bristol) are going to partner with the Latin American-focused indie publisher Charco Press. On Saturday 18 June they will be hosting an event in the bookshop with two of their translators, Daniel Hahn and Rosalind Harvey. More info here.
· Gloucester Road Books (Bristol) will be working with Little Toller to highlight a big range of their wonderful publishing in store, and offer some free goodies when people buy one of their books from the shop. They will also hold an event with Little Toller author, Davina Quinlivan, who will be talking about her book Shalimar with Pippa Marland in store on Wednesday 22 June. More info here.
· DRAKE The Bookshop (Stockton-on-Tees) are twinning with local press b small publishing. They will be doing a competition for children to win a copy of The Encyclopaedia of STEM Words, plus copies of the book for their school library too, and organising STEM storytime in the bookshop.
They are also working with four primary schools on a Reading Ambassador project, asking ambassadors to create some comments and reviews of the book, with the best reviews winning a set of books for their school library.
Joanna Cannon said: “Independent bookshops are magical places, staffed by passionate and enthusiastic booksellers who have the uncanny knack of always being able to find you exactly the right book, at exactly the right time.
“Independent Bookshop Week is a time to celebrate and support bookshops across the UK, and I’m so looking forward to being a bookseller for a day with the wonderful Alex at the gorgeous Bert’s Books.”
Naomi Jones said: “Indie bookshops are total treasure troves and often a really important part of their local community.
“They’re staffed by friendly, passionate booksellers who are full of brilliant recommendations. As an author, and someone who loves bookshops and books, I think it’s really important to support them which is why I’m thrilled to be involved with Independent Bookshop Week.”
Emma Bradshaw, Head of Campaigns at the BA, said: “We’re so excited for the start of Independent Bookshop Week next week! The breadth of events organised by booksellers across the UK and the number of bookshops taking part is larger than ever.
“After two years of the campaign taking place under COVID restrictions, we’re thrilled to see so much in-store activity lined up. Whether they are joining an author event, attending a children’s story time or family activity, enjoying special offers and promotions, or just buying their next great read, we know all book-lovers are in for a treat this June.”
Follow the latest developments via social media: #IndieBookshopWeek @BooksAreMyBag
