Big Walk Part 1
Big Walk to Little Schools
Isles of Scilly to Mawgan Porth
“The visit was very informative. The children enjoyed joining in with the drawing and they liked learning about your books and how you came up with the ideas for them. It’s great to have the opportunity for our children to meet a real author and to be inspired by the stories you shared. Good luck on your big walk!”
Earlier this year I set off on an adventure - walking from Cornwall to my home in Hay-on-Wye, sharing my books in schools and libraries along the way. Co-author Steve Williams joined my first week and ver two weeks, I delivered 12 events with huge thanks to Cornish Libraries who liaised with local schools. Steve and I visited three schools in St Austell on the way down before heading on to board the first ferry of the year to the Isles of Scilly where we shared stories of wolves, wildlife crossings and dinosaurs.
I set off from Land’s End to cover 72 miles of the South West Coast Path to Mawgan Porth with jaw dropping beaches all the way. With the support of Heather from Reading Rocks selling our books, I spoke in school assemblies and local libraries. We drew hedgehogs, talked about endangered species as well as local wildlife that the children shared.
I am so grateful to the Arts Council National Lottery Grant that is supporting this leg of my journey, that will eventually reach Scotland one day. This intial funding enables me to offer my events for free and Cornish Libraries have been keen to involve schools that may not normally have the finances to invite authors into school - all of the schools I have visited receive free books for their libraries, thanks to Otter-Barry Books and Bloomsbury.
“It was a superb visit that appealed to children all across the school - thank you!”
My first day walking… into the rain at Land’s End
Wildlife Crossings and hedgehog drawings at the Five Islands Academy, Isles of Scilly
Redruth Library, Cornwall
The stunning South West Coast Path