Book bonanza (From Gazette Series)

Book bonanza

THOUSANDS of books have been handed in at collection points in Dursley, Wotton-under-Edge, Thornbury, Chipping Sodbury and Yate for a mammoth charity fundraiser a week on Sunday.

The Twocando appeal, launched a few months ago by the Gazette and Tortworth Court Four Pillars Hotel, with active partnership support from Thornbury Lions Club, is staging the book fair.

Organisers appealed for good-quality second-hand hardbacks and paperbacks, both fact and fiction, and have been amazed at the response by the public.

Gazette editor David Cullimore said: "The appeal certainly captured people's imagination. While it gave them a chance to clear out books they will never read again, we think the fact that from the fair proceeds we shall be inviting schools to put in bids for new books meant money would be going to a very good cause.

"The variety of books that have been coming in over the past month has been tremendous, with non-fiction volumes on just about every topic under the sun, as well as hundreds and hundreds of novels from all kinds of popular and not so well known authors. And, apart from quantity, there have been some fantastic donations of real quality material.

"The public has done the Twocando appeal proud and we can only say a huge thank you to everyone. Many people even neatly and tidily boxed their books before bringing them in.

"Thornbury Lions, who run a Saturday book stall in St Mary Centre, will have their work cut out next week in a mammoth sorting operation at Tortworth Court Four Pillars Hotel, whose staff have been busy picking up books from drop-off points, but it will be one they will relish."

The book fair takes place at Tortworth Court Four Pillars Hotel on Sunday, October 17 (10am-5pm). Visitors to the fair, who will be entered in a free draw, are being encouraged to make a day of it, bring a picnic and tour Tortworth arboretum.