There are only a few weeks to go before Frodsham is taken over by the Weaver Words Literature Festival.

Poet Roger McGough and TV historian Dan Cruickshank have already been announced to headline the event next month.

Tickets are still available for a host of creative workshops, performances and literary events at Frodsham Community Centre and Castle Park from April 6-10.

Festival chair Professor Sue Zlosnik said: “All the events are proving popular, particularly the big names.

“Unlike some of the larger literary festivals, Weaver Words is also very much about community involvement.

“We are running a wide range of creative workshops for people to try new skills from writing comedy to ‘Words for Wellbeing’.

Happiness and Wellbeing

There are a long list of events tied into the festival’s theme of ‘Happiness and Wellbeing’, including Gerald Dickens will also be performing stories by his great great grandfather Charles Dickens.

Poets Andrew Rudd and Gill McEvoy will join violinist Daniel Axworthy on opening night, while former Canal Poet Laureate Jo Bell will be reading her waterway-inspired poetry from aboard a boat cruising along the River Weaver the following day.

Former Canal Poet Laureate Jo Bell will be performing at the Weaver Words festival

Judging the Great Weaver Words Story Prize for children in Weaver Vale will be Frodsham-born playwright Tim Firth.

A flash fiction competition is also being held for stories under 300 words long, with a £500 prize on offer.

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Winners will be announced at a celebration evening to close the festival on Sunday, April 10, with performances from Jaywalkers, comedy actor John Gorman and Frodsham writer Lynn Pegler.

Prof Zlosnik said: “Both adults and children are invited to sharpen their wit as well as their pencils for two wonderful workshops on creating cartoons by cartoonist Colin Shelbourn.

Cartoonist Colin Shelbourn and Weaver Words festival volunteer Laura Pegler

“There is also a one-day writing course involving a nature ramble on Frodsham Hill, led by celebrated Frodsham writer Katharine Norbury who now teaches creative writing at Goldsmiths, University of London.”

Weaver Words tickets are available online, through the box office 0845 557 7469 or at Frodsham Community Centre or Dandelion Gifts.

A free 28-page brochure is available to collect from publicity points around the town.

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