A Box Of Delights Concert launches Book Week NI 2022

The concert will feature guest appearances by Zeb Soanes, Neil Martin and Sarah Richmond and will be recorded for broadcast on BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Sounds

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BBC Northern Ireland and Libraries NI will launch their annual Book Week initiative with a special concert of music and readings with the Ulster Orchestra.

A Box Of Delights is a fun-filled concert that celebrates books, reading and libraries. It’s packed full of well-known soundtracks with book associations – from Mary Poppins and Bridget Jones to Miss Marple, Harry Potter, Matilda and Paddington Bear. There’ll also be a medley of TV and radio themes to mark the BBC’s centenary and the symphonic premiere of Paul Campbell’s musical interpretation of Jabberwocky.

The concert will feature guest appearances by Zeb Soanes, Neil Martin and Sarah Richmond and will be recorded for broadcast on BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Sounds at 7.30pm on 11 October in the Ulster Hall, Belfast. A limited number of free tickets are still available from the Ulster Hall Box Office: ulsterhall.co.uk from 2pm on Friday 30 September.

Book Week will take place from 17-23 October and will include activities and events across the library network, including Love Your Library Day on 19 October, when everyone is being encouraged to make a visit to their local library to see what’s happening – and maybe borrow some books!

BBC programmes and presenters across TV, online and Radio Ulster and Radio Foyle will be playing their part in the excitements of Book Week 2022, helping to encourage a big conversation about reading and libraries and all that they make possible.

BBC Northern Ireland television will broadcast a series of short Read All About It! films in which local personalities talk about their reading memories and make some book recommendations for others to enjoy. A fuller selection of films will also be available on BBC iPlayer and the dedicated Book Week NI website: bbc.co.uk/bookweekni . And there’ll be an extended programme of highlights from these conversations in Read All About It! Special Edition with Mark Simpson and Holly Hamilton on BBC Radio Ulster/Foyle at 4pm on Sunday 23 October.

Mark Simpson will present this year’s Read All About It! films and he makes some book revelations and recommendations of his own as part of this series. He’ll be joined by Holly Hamilton; Diarmuid Gavin and David Maxwell; Pastor Lindsay Allen and Michele Marken; Dave Elliott and Diona Doherty; Anne McMaster and Maureen Boyle; John Campbell and Jayne McCormack; Mark Carruthers and Jennifer O’Leary; Stephen McCauley and Ralph McLean; and Chris Buckler and Sarah Brett.

Mark Simpson, BBC NI news correspondent says: “A good book never lets you down. You can take it anywhere, read it any time, and it doesn’t have a battery that drains the more you look at it. My favourite time to read is at night. As someone once said, sleep is good, but books are better. Book Week is always a time to celebrate the written word. I love words. I love discovering a new word, or a familiar word used in a different context. The place to find them is in a book. Unsurprisingly, given that I’ve covered politics for 30 years, I enjoy a political biography and books about Irish history. At the same time, I was recently encouraged by my eldest daughter to read classic novels. I did what I was told – she is an English teacher. She was right. They were great, and gave me pause for thought.

“Mind you, my all-time favourite book is the children’s book Some Dogs Do by Jez Alborough. It is a funny story about a flying dog and dare I say it, gave me paws for thought.”

On Love your Library Day (Wednesday 19 October) Connor Philips will be taking his BBC Radio Ulster show on the road broadcasting live from a local library in Omagh. On Friday 21 October musical legend Paul Brady will talk in depth about his life, work and his acclaimed new autobiography with Lynette Fay on Folk Club. There will another chance to hear Ralph McLean’s interview with Steve Turner, author of Beatles ’66; Vinny Hurrell will be chatting with Yvonne Fleming, author of Weatherbees and Hugo Duncan will be choosing some country music favourites inspired by books. Stephen McCauley show will feature interviews with musician Laura Veirs and from Scottish indie legends Mogwai, Stuart Braithwaite who have both written books recently. He will also be discussing tour bus reading for band members who love to pass time with a book. ATL Introducing will feature a Slam/Beat Poetry group called Soup Ink co-op and The Eve Blair, Lynette Fay and Mark Patterson, and Kerry McLean shows will also include interviews with authors and other book content that week. Sunday Sequence will have a special feature on ‘dementia friendly’ books.

BBC Northern Ireland will host a BBC themed event with Roger Mosey and Jean Seaton coinciding with the BBC’s 100th birthday on 18 October. BBC 100 will explore the history and role of the BBC and what the future might hold for public service broadcasting. Tickets for this event, which will also be available on BBC Sounds, will be available at: bbc.co.uk/tickets.

Book Week Ambassadors will also be helping to facilitate a big, community-wide conversation and books, reading and libraries – and encouraging everyone to join in. These Ambassadors are drawn from across public life and include: Head of the Civil Service, Jayne Brady; Glenn Patterson; Sara Long, CEO Education Authority; Linda Robinson, CEO Age NI; Wendy Austin; Paula McIntyre among others.

Book Week will also see the return of BBC Northern Ireland’s short story competition for children back for a fourth series. Launching on The Lynette Fay Show on BBC Radio Ulster on Tuesday 18 October this year’s competition of Two Minute Tales is asking all children between the ages of five and 16 to get creative by writing a fictional short story based on the theme ‘A Winter Adventure’. More details can be found at bbc.co.uk/twominutetales

Libraries NI will be hosting a busy programme of Book Week 2022 events and have a stellar cast of speakers including: Reverend Richard Coles, Donal Ryan, Serena Terry, Colin Bateman, Lessa Harker, Stuart Neville, Steve Cavanagh, Wendy Erskine, Bernie McGill and Professor Teresa Cremin. And there’ll be contributions also from Emma Vardy, John Self, Kate Conway, Kathy Klugson and Richard O’Reilly. These events will be a mixture of online and in person. Booking and other details are available on the Libraries website (www.librariesni.org.uk) along with book recommendations and ideas for each of the themed days throughout the week.

Audiences can get involved in Book Week on social media by posting #bookweekni and tagging @LibrariesNI and @BBCnireland on Twitter, @LibrariesNorthernIreland and @BBCNI on Facebook and @librariesni and @bbcni on Instagram.

BBC Northern Ireland and Libraries NI are also inviting people to hashtag #bookweekni to share details of their favourite books, their book recommendations, favourite authors, literary characters, book spaces and libraries.

Adam Smyth, Interim Director BBC Northern Ireland says: “Book Week is a celebration of the joy that reading and libraries can provide. And it’s a great example of partnership working between two organisations at the heart of community life – the BBC and Libraries NI. We hope that everyone will feel able to get involved in Book Week 2022 and join in our big conversation about books, reading and libraries and all that they make possible."

Jim O’Hagan, Chief Executive, Libraries NI says: “Book Week NI has grown each year and we are delighted once again to partner with BBC Northern Ireland for what is now becoming a regular event in the local calendar of our community. This year’s programme of library events offers activities for everyone, with Rhythm and Rhyme and Lego clubs for children and parents through to events such as our ever popular Knit and Natter groups. A key day for the week though is Love your Library Day when we ask customers, stakeholders and all members of the community to join us in celebrating all that is wonderful about our local libraries so please call in and show your appreciation and support for the library and the services they provide.”

For further information on Book Week NI, please visit librariesni.org.uk and bbc.co.uk/bookweekni

Source BBC Sounds

October 3, 2022 4:00am ET by Pressparty  

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