The programme for the first Lake District Book Festival goes on press at Reeds (Cumbria) in Penrith today (8th June).
The printer works for the festival’s director and founder Charlotte Fairbairn, so was well placed to become a sponsor and provider of the associated print and signage connected to the event.
The Festival takes place at Cartmel Racecourse, as far south as you can get in the Lake District says Reeds’ director Anthony Donnelly, “which reduces the risk of rain”.
He says: “As we celebrate our 148th year in business, we’re delighted to support a new event that champions books, authors and readers.”
The company prints for business across the region and has supported smaller events, the Cumbria Tourism and Food Awards, among them. This is the biggest involvement with a regional event to date he says.
While not a specialist, Reeds prints books for local authors, covering local interest and self published titles, and some of these should be part of the event itself. “We think our biggest challenge is not selling print, it’s selling a reason to print. And engagement with the festival we think is a good way to get the message across,” says Donnelly.
Festival founder and producer Fairbairn adds: “There is something rather special about a festival in its very first year being supported by a business that has been part of Cumbria’s story for 148 years.
“Reeds understands better than most the importance of print, publishing and the written word, so their support feels like a natural fit for what we’re trying to achieve.”
The normal chaos in the run up to the event has ensued with the result that the files for the programme which had been due at the end of last week, are now promised for today, ensuring that the latest content is available. It has not fazed the printer. Donnelly says: “We received the phone call on Friday asking if we could wait until Monday. We could. We’re a printer and had built a delay into the schedule.”
The Lake District Book Festival runs from 12-14 June.
