Residents in Cheshire West and Chester will have the opportunity to pick up a free book as part of the celebrations for World Book Night on Saturday, April 23.

Cheshire West and Chester Council’s Libraries Service is hosting a range of events and around 1,500 books will be given away by volunteers across the borough who want to share their love of reading with people who don’t read for pleasure or own books.

The national annual celebration of reading, which is also UNESCO’s international day of the book and Shakespeare’s birthday, is run by The Reading Agency, a national charity which funds the free books which are aimed at inspiring people to become confident and enthusiastic readers to help give them an equal chance in life.

In Cheshire West and Chester more than 60 passionate book lovers have applied to be World Book Night volunteers this year, having chosen one of the World Book Night 2016 titles to share with people in their community.

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Since it began in 2011, World Book Night has created an extraordinary group of 56,000 volunteers, giving books away to more than 2.25 million people around the UK.

This year’s list of books sees a sensational and diverse line up designed to bring reading and books into people’s lives. It covers a range of genres including crime, poetry, non-fiction, quick reads, fantasy and sci-fi, historical and young adult fiction, and fiction in translation.

Appearing on the list are bestselling favourites from the leading lights of the literary scene, including Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig, Love Poems by Carol Ann Duffy and Band of Brothers by Stephen E Ambrose.

As well as World Book Night volunteers, people are also encouraged to give their favourite book to someone in their community and special events will take place at libraries, community centre, prisons, hospitals and schools around the UK on April 23, in this mass celebration of books and reading.

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The council’s Cabinet member for leisure, culture and wellbeing, Cllr Louise Gittins said: “Libraries have a vital and central role to play in World Book Night and we value this wonderful opportunity to spread a love of reading. World Book Night is a great chance to pick up a free book and maybe try a new genre or author.

“I know these events have been a great success in previous years, so I hope that people continue to go along to World Book Night events and discover the joy of reading and their local library.”

On Saturday, April 23, staff from Cheshire West and Chester Libraries will be out and about in their local communities, gifting World Book Night titles, including:

10am-noon Northwich Town Centre - Northwich Library staff will be handing out World Book Night titles to shoppers in Northwich town centre on Saturday morning.

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2pm-5pm Frodsham Leisure Centre, Princeway, Frodsham - Library staff from Frodsham will be giving away World Book Night titles in association with Brio Leisure, to users of the Frodsham leisure centre.

4pm-6pm Ellesmere Port Sports Village, Stanney Lane, Ellesmere Port - Library staff from Ellesmere Port will be gifting World Book Night titles in association with Brio Leisure to users of the EPSV leisure centre.

7.30pm Lache Library - Morgan and West – Parlour Tricks - Library staff will be handing out World Book Night titles after the performance Morgan and West – Parlour Tricks in Association with Cheshire Rural Touring Arts, and the See it Live in Libraries project.

Find out more and follow the council’s Libraries Service via social media: Facebook: facebook.com/cwaclibrary and Twitter: @cwaclibraries #WorldBookNight.