The Leigh and Wigan Words ‘08 Literary Festival is on us - Check our gig guide for full details of events.

As ever, there will be something for you all this year. Jim Eldridge, perhaps the most prolific writer for television and radio in the country will be presenting a workshop at the Wigan Cricket Club. Vincent Smith will be presenting the love poems of Thomas Hardy, and our dear friend Rosie Lugosi will be making an appearance in an unfamiliar guise as Rosie Garland, writer, performer and singer, both will be at the Little Fifteen in Wigan.

Watch out for the ‘King of Epic Monologue’ - not my assessment, but Bernard Wrigley’s - when Steve Morris visits the museum at Hindley Library (but do book, to avoid disappointment). We also welcome Ferzanna Riley, a Lancashire author, who will talk about her first book, ‘Unbroken Spirit’ at Ashton Library. Robert Lloyd Parry will give his one-man show featuring the ghost story writer, M.R. James, at Standish Library.

Other appearances will be local writer Ian Gray, who has been working through verse and art with the subject of ‘Gernika’ - Pablo Picasso’s acclaimed anti-war masterpiece, Brian Whitmore, a calligraphist, and John Togher and Paul Bibby, who will blend sound with poetry at the Market Tavern. There will be an open floor poetry extravaganza at that now well-known venue, the Tudor House and Cecil Helman, a family doctor and an anthropologist at University College, London and Cape Town University, will talk about the daily experiences with patients and his diverse interests, both academic and practical.

This year we have the visionary author, award winning journalist and 6 O’Clock News presenter George Alagiah who will be discussing his book ‘A Home from Home’.

There is so much in this two week programme to interest so many that it has not been possible to mention all the many contributors in this foreword, so, do, please look through the programme and make a note of those events which, if you’re not careful, you’ll kick yourself for missing.

Finally, this year marks the end of our funding from the Arts Council. On behalf of this Committee, and the literary loving people of Leigh and Wigan, I would like to thank them for the financial assistance they have given us over the past six years. Also, our thanks go to Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust for their on-going support, both practical and financial, without which we could not have produced five consecutive literary festivals. Next year we shall be exploring other funding sources and we would be delighted if anyone felt able to join us on the planning committee, which meets every third Monday of the month at Leigh Library from 7:00pm. Please just turn up and you will be made very welcome.

For further information telephone 01942 486921 or visit www.wlct.org/festivalfever