word festival

Newham Word Festivalthe role of reading & libraries in building

community participation

Fiona O’BrienAssistant directorNational Year of Reading

Aims of the project

• Bring residents of Newham together • Raise awareness of the work of the

Community Forums • Encourage wider community participation

•Provide progression routes through library & heritage services

The Word Festival team

• LB Newham Community Participation Unit• LB Newham Communications • LB Newham Library Services• The Campaign Company• Spread the Word• London Libraries Development Agency

Other partners

• Community Forums• Newham Bookshop• NIACE• Stratford Circus• Stratford Market Traders Association• Stratford Picture House

A marketing approach

Publicity plan

Getting the word out

Involving local people

• Campaign Company attended Community Forum Steering Group meetings

• Word Festival Steering Group for Community Forums set up

• Community Forum members compered events in main theatre

• Schools writing contribution• Linking to World Book Day

Maximising impact

Market stall posters

Feedback

• “The best thing about this event has been the poetry, books, talking to people and seeing children having fun”

Shumin – Forest Gate• “The best thing about the festival for me is the

coming together of different people from different ethnic backgrounds”

Remi – Stratford• “Events like this help to foster a great community

spirit”Poinya – Forest Gate

91% respondents rating the event as “good” or “excellent”

Thank you

Fiona O’Brien

Assistant Director

National Year of Reading

fiona.o'brien@literacytrust.org.uk

www.yearofreading.org.uk