London, 14^th May 2021: The shortlist for the Indie Book Awards 2021, the annual awards curated by independent bookshops as part of Independent Bookshop Week (IBW, 19-26 June 2021), has been revealed today.

Richard Osman, Kiley Reid, Raynor Winn and Benjamin Zephaniah among the shortlisted authors, chosen by indie booksellers. Winners announced on Scala Radio on Friday 25^th June

2021 Shortlist includes: Windrush Child  by Benjamin Zephaniah; The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman; Hungry by Grace Dent; The Hospital Dog by Julia Donaldson and Sara Ogilvie

 The awards honour the paperback books of the year across four categories – Fiction, Non-Fiction, Children’s Fiction and Picture Book – as voted for by independent booksellers. Celebrating the best reads for the summer and the books that readers should be taking on holiday (or on their staycations) this summer, the awards are a part of the annual campaign celebrating indie bookshops in the UK and Ireland organised by the Booksellers Assosciation.

This year’s shortlist include the debut sensation Richard Osman (The Thursday Murder Club), the number 1 Sunday Times Bestselling author Matt Haig (The Midnight Library), Julia Donaldson MBE (The Hospital Dog), previous Indie Book Award nominee Onjali Q. Rauf (The Night Bus Hero),  2020 Booker Prize longlisted author Kiley Reid (Such A Fun Age), Stonewall Book Award winner Jessica Love (Julian at the Wedding), writer and poet Benjamin Zephaniah (Windrush Child) and Carnegie award winner Meg Rosoff (The Great Godden). During Independent Bookshop Week, Bookshop.org and Blackwell’s will be hosting virtual events featuring some of the shortlisted authors.

A judging panel of independent booksellers and authors will decide on the four winners, to be announced at 10am on Friday 25 June 2021, the penultimate day of Independent Bookshop Week. The winners will be announced on Scala Radio, the official media partner of the Indie Book Awards.

The judging panel for the Adult categories consists of booksellers including Tina Gaisford-Waller (Winstone’s Hunting Raven Books), Saber Khan (Toppings, Bath), Sam Fisher (Burley Fisher Books), Alice Carr (Blackwell’s, Edinburgh) and Hachette author Will Dean.

The Children’s categories will be judged by Nicola Lee (Children’s Bookshop, Lindley), Mariana Mouzinho (Seven Stories, The National Centre for Children’s Books), India Chambers (Round Table Books), Gill Edwards (Little Ripon Bookshop) and Hachette author Patrice Lawrence.

Benjamin Zephaniah, author of Windrush Child, said: ‘When I say I owe a lot to independent bookshops, I mean it. My first book was not published by an established publisher, it was published by Page One Books, an independent book shop in east London. When I couldn’t find venues to perform in, I performed above, or in, independent bookshops all over the country. Independent bookshops made me, and I don’t want to get too heavy, but in times like these I use them for their human connections, and as a political statement. Long love the book lovers.’

 Raynor Winn, author of The Wild Silence, said: ‘Independent booksellers are an amazing network of people with an understanding and passion for books like no other. They’re incredibly important not only for authors and publishers but also as hubs of connection within their communities. I owe a huge debt of gratitude to indie booksellers the length of the county for the overwhelmingly generous support they’ve shown for both of my books – thank you!‘

Richard Osman, author of The Thursday Murder Club, said: ‘Independent bookshops are the heartbeat of their communities and the heartbeat of the publishing industry. They feel like home for me, and I am beyond thrilled to be nominated for this award.’

Emma Bradshaw, Head of Campaigns, Booksellers Association, said: ‘The Indie Book Awards celebrate the best titles of the year, as recommended by the expertise of independent booksellers. This year’s shortlist features an eclectic mix of books, from Sunday Times best-sellers, to Booker-nominated titles, to books that have kept us company throughout lockdown. As bookshops gradually reopen in the UK and Ireland, I can’t wait to go to my local indie and get my hands on this year’s shortlist – and I hope all book lovers will do the same!’

 For more information about the Indie Book Awards and previous winners, please visit www.indiebookshopweek.org.uk/IBWBookAward.

Follow the latest developments via social media: #IndieBookshopWeek @BooksAreMyBag

Sofia Stephanou will move into the position of Executive Director at Arch 468 taking on more of the overall responsibility for producing and organisational strategy as Rebecca Atkinson-Lord takes up the position of Artistic Director and Chief Executive at An Tobar & Mull Theatre on the Isle of Mull in the Inner Hebrides.  Atkinson-Lord will continue as Artistic Director, curating the artistic programme at Arch 468,

Up until spring 2020, Stephanou was the Producer at Paines Plough where she was responsible for the organisation’s festivals and touring work.

Rebecca Atkinson-Lord founded Arch 468 in 2007 as an arts production and development hub that exists to shape the cultural ecology of the future. The Arch 468 Hope Prize launched earlier this year offered a £10,000 commission for a new play that offers a vision of hope. Submissions have now closed and the winner will be announced in due course.

Atkinson-Lord comments, Sofia has worked with Arch 468 since the very start of her career and has become an invaluable part of the fabric of the company. Her time as Executive Producer has been a remarkable period of growth and ambition, so stepping up to become Executive Director to allow me to focus on curating the Artistic Programme at Arch 468 alongside my work on Mull is a natural next step. She’s a phenomenal producer and cultural leader and I can’t wait to work alongside her in her new role.

 Stephanou comments, I am delighted to be stepping into the role of Executive Director. Arch 468 is where it all started for me and has been an important part of my life and career, from touring my first production and learning the ropes of being a producer to touring world class new writing both nationally and internationally. I am incredibly grateful to have had a creative home with the company for so long. I look forward to working alongside Rebecca in this new role and period of growth for the organisation, whilst blazing new trails for the future.

An Tobar & Mull Theatre is a cross art form theatre and arts centre developing and producing theatre, music, dance, film, literature and visual arts. A Regularly Funded Organisation in the Creative Scotland portfolio, they tour nationally and internationally and work with artists of all kinds to commission and develop new and exciting work.

 Website https://www.arch468.com/

Instagram @Arch468TheatreStudio

Twitter @Arch468 Facebook @Arch468

Greenwich Theatre presents a family-fun Summer repertory season of The Wolves of Willoughby Chase and Pinocchio at Greenwich Theatre, Crooms Hill, Greenwich, London, SE10 8ES

Thursday 5 th August – Sunday 5th September 2021

The rescheduled adaptation of Joan Aiken’s acclaimed novel The Wolves of Willoughby Chase will run alongside a brand-new retelling of family-favourite Pinocchio. Both directed by Greenwich Theatre’s Artistic Director James Haddrell, the productions will combine captivating music and magical storytelling for some much-needed escapism.

Greenwich Theatre’s favourite pantomime villain Anthony Spargo (Horrible Histories – Barmy Britain Part One and Two, Garrick Theatre; co-writer of Olivier nominated Alice’s Adventures Underground for Les Enfants Terribles) will join a fantastic ensemble cast, taking on numerous roles across both productions. Further casting includes Alice DeWarrenne, David Haller, Cassandra Hercules, Serin Ibrahim, Adam Karim and Reice Weathers.

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase tells the story of two brave and determined girls as they encounter unforgettable characters, take on ferocious wolves and battle through snowy wastelands. Bonnie, Sylvia, and their friend Simon the Goose-boy soon realise that the wolves roaming the forests outside may not be as dangerous as the wolfish adults plotting inside.

Carlo Collodi’s iconic tale of a talking puppet, Pinocchio, has been adapted specifically for Greenwich Theatre by Anthony Clark. Packed with puppetry, a wood-influenced score, and a sense of adventure, the production is a beautiful reimagining of the original material. Join Pinocchio, a talking cricket and a whole host of characters, as they discover the impact of their actions and lies. James Haddrell,

Artistic Director and Director comments, I am delighted to be working with writers Tony Clark and Russ Tunney to launch this ambitious new venture for Greenwich Theatre, a summer repertory season which this year features Tunney’s adaptation of The Wolves of Willoughby Chase and Clark’s version of Pinocchio. Family theatre has always been incredibly important to us at Greenwich Theatre. From the launch of the Greenwich Children’s Theatre Festival in 2008 to the year-on-year growth of our Offie award-winning pantomime, audiences have come to expect exciting, innovative family shows in Greenwich every season, so this new signature moment in the year is set to become a must-see moment in the capital’s cultural calendar. Greenwich Theatre is excited to bring quality entertainment back to the area.’

The theatre continues to adhere to the ongoing government guidance, with social distancing potentially in place for indoor performances. Should the restrictions and circumstances change they will look to adjust accordingly.

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase and Pinocchio Dates Thursday 5 th August – Sunday 5 th September 2021 Location Greenwich Theatre, Crooms Hill, Greenwich, London, SE10 8ES

How to Get There: The nearest train stations are Greenwich Station, Deptford Station and Cutty Sark Station (DLR). Running Time Both productions are 90 minutes

Box Office: Tickets are available from £21 (Concessions £18.50, Child £11, Family Ticket £54) on www.greenwichtheatre.org.uk

Twitter @greenwichtheatr

Instagram @greenwichtheatre

Facebook /GreenwichtheatreLondon

Open Door Retreats is the creation of Hugh Williams-Preece who has had the vision to create a space where guests could visit and be immersed in a world of complete wellbeing. With a background in international, bespoke events management, and a passion for fitness and health, if anyone should be running a retreat – it’s Hugh.

The concept of Open Door Retreats is simple though the results should be anything but. Having direct access to a host of experts from across the wellness industry for three days, guests will gain invaluable insights into how to implement positive changes – for life. Workshops will cover the importance of good sleep with best-selling author and journalist Rob Hobson. Sleep affects every part of our lives, and we need to ensure we get the right amount of it. Nutrition is also an integral part of how we feel, and topics will cover how to shop, cook and really enjoy healthful meals. Helen Ford is passionate and highly knowledgeable on the subject of nutrition, not just for the everyday, but also harnessing the power of good food to heal and restore. Using creative art as a way to calm the mind, Jaq Chase will give guests the chance to understand how they can use their creativity. Jaq focuses on each person’s potential and encourages a sense of freedom that builds confidence and joy.

Sunrise yoga is the perfect start to each day at Open Door Retreats. Yoga guru Julie King leads these sessions, using the time to focus on different aspects of movement and breathing each day. Tailored fitness sessions with Kate Rowe-Ham and David Gover are designed for every individual guest to work out well and learn how to take those lessons into everyday life.

Hugh told Frost Magazine: “It’s so important to us that guests feel completely welcome and unjudged. This is not a fitness retreat, it’s a wellness retreat, so any active session is literally for every body, whatever stage of fitness they might be at.

“The setting for our retreats is New House Farm, a country estate nestled in 12 acres of outstanding natural beauty in East Sussex. The open space, stunning views and trail walks and runs from the back door are magnificent and complement the programme content to perfection. Meals are made from local ingredients that are organic wherever possible, and are designed to give our guests the very best of healthy, nutritious and balanced food.”

It certainly does seem that attending an Open Door Retreat will leave guests feeling rejuvenated, renourished and reconnected. In this busy world, they will have had the time and space to look at their wellness and understand which habits need to be changed and how to change them – for life.

Hugh is so right when he says, “There has never been a more perfect time to stop and put ourselves first – all of us deserve the chance to create a more balanced and healthy life. Not just for ourselves but for our families, employers and communities too”.

Find out more aboutHugh’s launch retreat here: https://www.opendoorretreats.com/book-now-open-door-retreats.html#events