Last updated 10:16, Thursday, 04 September 2008

A look round the libraries with Julie Morgan

• View more pictures...

Rugby players help out: Shona Pattinson, 11, Marc Bainbridge, Ellie Fitchett 10, Ellis Armstrong 10, Ade Adebisi, and Robert Armstrong, 12

EVERYONE has a story to tell. Autobiographical or creative, writers don’t require qualifications, a private education, an ability to punctuate or even spell.
All you need is the desire to express yourself, an interest in the world – and a good editor!
Dave Chapple, is an arts development officer with Copeland Council. He is currently running two groups entitled Get Into Reading which bring together people of all ages and backgrounds as well as a creative writing group.
The reading groups – which are held at Whitehaven library on Wednesdays from 10am-2pm and at Cleator Moor library each Thursday from 10.30-noon – are very informal, open to anyone, and offer people a chance to read and discuss a wide range of material from classic poetry to contemporary short stories and from light-hearted reads to topics such as the Holocaust.
Dave said: “Our groups are different from other reading groups because we use the books and material to provoke discussion and debates, we don’t analyse texts.
“We are very friendly and supportive, with half the session spent talking about issues raised by the material,’’ he explained.
The group members can have “massively different tastes’’; however the sessions work as everyone is willing to read other people’s recommendations which recently included John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men and work by the American political satirist, P J O’Rourke.
By introducing a broad selection of readings, group members build on their confidence and are encouraged to bring in their favourite or interesting works.
Dave holds his creative writing session at Whitehaven Civic Hall from 6-8pm each Wednesday.
Dave said: “The writing this group produces is fantastic. Some people who come along have never written before, while others enjoy being motivated by the group.’’
All groups are open to everyone. “I am always impressed how friendly everyone is and how well they work together,’’ Dave added. “No-one should feel intimidated, they should just come along and join.’’

Preparing for that first day at school
THROUGHOUT September hundreds of young people and children will be preparing for educational milestones.
Whether they are toddlers heading for nursery or students getting ready to leave home for university, it can be an emotional time for them and their families.
I have made a list of some books, all are available from Amazon, which could help at this stressful time.
1) Do I Have to Go to School? by Lesley Harker and Pat Thomas.
2) Starting School by Janet Ahlberg and Allan Ahlberg.
3) My First Day at Nursery School by Becky Edwards and Anthony Flintoff. (I read this to both my sons. Highly recommended, JM)
4) Harry & the Dinosaurs Go to School (Harry and His Bucket Full of Dinosaurs) by Ian Whybrow and Adrian Reynolds.
5) I Am Too Absolutely Small for School (Charlie and Lola) by Lauren Child.
6) Student Life: A Survival Guide. Practical advice and help with starting life at university by Natasha Roe and UCAS.
7) Surviving Your First Year at University by Cathy Anne Howes.
8) Hard Up and Hungry: Hassle-Free Recipes for Students, by Students.
9) The Really Useful Ultimate Student Cookbook by Silvana Franco.
10) How To Survive and Thrive in an Empty Nest: Reclaiming Your Life When Your Children Have Grown by Jeanette C Lauer and Robert H Lauer.

Father your son’s interest in reading
SONS and dads reading is the aim of this month’s initiative as part of the National Year of Reading.
For those of you desperate for your boys to put down the Playstation and pick up a book, celebrity dad Richard Hammond has recommended a number of titles from the Dorling Kindersley range.
For 0-three years: DK Touch and Feel Tractor; Spiky, Scary, Scaly Dinosaurs; Chunky, Bumpy, Dumpy Trucks.
Four-eight years: Build Your Own Cool Cars; Skateboarding; Shark-o-pedia; Eye Wonder: Volcano;
Eight years and over: Car Science by Richard Hammond; How Cool Stuff Works; Think of a Number by Johnny Ball and History Dudes Viking.
For further information go to www.yearofreading.org.uk and click on Richard Hammond link

Thirteen proves lucky for pupils
YEAR SEVEN pupils starting secondary school this week will receive a free book thanks to the Booked Up scheme.
The pupils will all be given a choice of 13 books, one of which they can choose to keep. Although the youngsters will receive their books through their schools, libraries at Whitehaven, Cleator Moor, Egremont, Seascale and Thornhill have organised displays of the titles available.
This will include all the books, along with book marks, where young readers can tick off the Booked Up books as they read them.
Among the books included in the Booked Up selection is Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy (this was short-listed for the Red House Children’s Book Award and was one of Richard and Judy’s Book Club Books). Scarlett is by the ever-popular Cathy Cassidy.
Pupils who like reading non-fiction are well catered for with the horribly titled Why Eating Bogeys is Good for You by Mitchell Symons. This tries to answer a totally random selection of facts, including ‘If your eye fell out of its socket but remained attached could it turn round and look at your own face?’ and ‘Wasps, why?’
There is also a poetry book ‘Read me and Laugh: A Funny Poem For Every Day of the Year’ – both of these books are really easy to dip in and out of.

Chance to support your favourite charity
COFFEE mornings and afternoons will be held in libraries throughout September in aid of charity.
Mirehouse library with the South Whitehaven Neighbourhood partnership, September 10; Seascale library September 11 from 10am-noon, proceeds to Macmillan Cancer Support.
Egremont library including plant swap on September 11, proceeds to MCS. Hensingham library coffee afternoon on September 12; St Bees coffee afternoon, 2-4pm, proceeds to MCS.
Cleator Moor library, September 23 proceeds to MCS; Distington library, September 23, reminiscence session with coffee.
Millom Library, September 26, 10am-1pm, proceeds to MCS.
Gosforth Library, coffee morning, 10am-noon, September 26.

Chill out in the aisles of your library
COPELAND libraries are holding ‘Chill Out at your Local Library’ on Thursday, October 2 from 10am-4pm.
The event will see libraries offering a day of various activities including salsa dancing, tips on relaxation and looking after yourself.
It will be a chance to relax by reading or something more unusual! Find out mroe at your local library.