A Truckload of Books

Every year thousands and thousands of donated books pile up in the hall of First Church awaiting the annual Mid-Winter Monster Book Fair. It’s just the start of the long process of getting them ready for sale.  They have to be sorted into the many different categories then packed up ready for moving to the venue.  This year it was a return to the refurbished Town Hall.  The books were trucked there courtesy of Martinborough Transport, then unpacked and put on display.

“We are always amazed at the quality of the books people give us”, says Margaret Griffiths, one of the team of helpers. “We try to identify any that are particularly special and make sure they are priced appropriately.   For instance we were given a magnificent Raymond Ching book this year.  We have a flat rate of $2 for all our other books.”

It’s been a tradition for every one of the 11 years the Fair’s been running to have a guest speaker on the opening night, typically someone with a connection to books.  This year it was well-loved Featherston writer Joy Cowley.  She related how her own struggles learning to read had helped make her such a successful storyteller.  Her talk also made it clear that writing for children is anything but easy – it requires empathy, intelligence and lots of imagination.    Joy firmly believes that the children themselves have been her best teachers. 

All proceeds from the Fair go towards the upkeep of First Church.  It must be working – the congregation will celebrate its 150^th anniversary in 2021.