Part Two - The Biggest Read!

Our very first Big Read this year was wonderful (even if we do say so ourselves)!

After an amazing evening of discussion on Tuesday 28th March, over 340 people came through the doors last Sunday to join us for Part Two of the Big Read and take part in a variety of reading related activities.

In the Studio we had read-alongs where students and staff from across the Faculty of Arts read stories out loud for different age groups. Alongside the narrators we had a host and someone showing the book pages on the big screen – we meant it when we said it was a read-along! We were also delighted to have Rachel supporting with British Sign Language interpretation.

But that was just one room … we had so much more!

In the Creative Learning Space we had poetry and art workshops from authors Emilie Lauren Jones and Helen Pilcher, as well as a multilingual Harry Potter workshop from the School of Modern Languages and Cultures. Later in the afternoon, in the Theatre, author and comedian James Campbell joined us for his one man show. A simple stage with a simple setting, but a belly crunching hour for kids and grown-ups alike. If that wasn’t enough, we had a range of stalls in the foyer where you could get hands-on with reading, writing and creativity. Here you could support the research activities of the Department of Psychology as well as chat to children’s author Julia Rawlinson, and even buy a book (or seven!) from the Kenilworth Books pop-up shop. As you wandered between these awesome activities (collecting our Big Read Badges as you go!), you’d have been able to say hello to Bo Peep, the Queen of Hearts, and even Julia’s own Fletcher the Fox, as well as other fictional characters as volunteers from the university wandered round in costume and very, very in character!

It was a fabulous afternoon with so many smiling faces, and we can’t wait to do it again next year! We’ve had some wonderful feedback and we’ve taken everything you’ve said on board.

So many people were involved in making the Big Read happen and we can’t thank them enough for giving up their time to make this event happen, which is a feeling shared by our attendees: “My children have had a wildly happy time today. Thank you for all your hard work!”

See you for The Big Read 2024!