Winter Illustration Festival 2011

Mince Pies and Mayhem: Many thanks to all who came along on Saturday to our 'Winter Illustration Festival'. A packed event was full of excitement as the queue for signing books ran across the top floor down the stairs and to the door. Relaxing classical guitar courtesy of George added a calming element to the family frenzy as mince pies and other seasonal delicies rotated.

Our thanks to Andersen Press for supplying us with Elmer goodies to entertain in the children's corner which was a huge success! The colouring in Elmers have certainly re-assured us that there are plenty of budding illustrators to come.Congratulations to Bethan from Cambridge too, who was the lucky winner of our raffle for Amnesty International, and gets a publisher's signed proof of a page from Shirley Hughes's 'Christmas Eve Ghost'. Can't wait for next year ...

A Radio 4 Sunday Drama

A sunny Sunday afternoon was the perfect time, as I purred along the slow lane of the M4, to sink in to the lulling dramatisation of Paul Gallico's The Snow Goose on Radio 4. Congratulations to Michael Morpurgo for bringing this to our attention and for BBC on their gripping dramatisation. Was it a misty eye that caused me to blink, or just the wipers on my antiquated motorcar? Either way this heart-rending tale of love and heroism rescued motoroway from monotony.

As the story unfurled I pictured in my mind's eye Angela Barrett's wonderful illustrations on the wall's of our gallery, which added much to my enjoyment. The ensuing Open Book discussion and interviews which followed were lively with comment and anedotes from Mariella Frostrup, Michae Morpurgo and Elizabeth Jane Howard. Still to be found on BBC iplayer, I recommend an evening with the wireless by the fireside.