The Responsible Business Directory
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The Responsible Business Directory
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Leiston Book Festival organises and delivers an annual literary festival that brings together authors, readers, publishers, schools and the wider community through a programme of talks, workshops and educational events. Founded in 2024, by non-fiction author Robert Ashton, the festival focuses on books that explore our evolving landscape and environment.
Leiston Book Festival CIC aims to provide cultural, educational and social benefits by encouraging reading, literacy and life-long learning for people of all ages. It works with schools, libraries, community organisations and local businesses to increase access to literary events, inspire young people to read and write, and support authors and creative talent.
The company generates income through ticket sales, sponsorship and other fundraising activities, which are reinvested to support the delivery and development of the festival and its community programmes.
Leiston Book Festival CIC is a virtual business, with four unpaid directors and no premises. Our meetings are held online so no travel,and when we stage events, we print only the programme. All subscriber contact is by email, as is our post event survey. After an event, we collect all unused print (and audience rubbish) to recycle.
As a CIC, we strive to do much more than deliver a one day book festival, and take authors into local schools to inspire youngsters. This is particularly important here in Leiston as KS2 reading levels are lower than average. We work alongside the National Literacy Trust where we can.
Two of our directors are in their 70s,one is 80 and the other nearly 60. Our goal is to do a few things well, not do more things in ways that cut corners.
