BBC Open Centre

There was "much to write home about" on Tuesday 9th October 2007 when the BBC Lancashire Open Centre played host to the launch of “At The Kitchen Table”, a collection of short stories and poems written by members of East Lancashire Writers.

Meeting on the last Wednesday of each month, the group exists to encourage and support new writing of all kinds; plays and novels, comedy and drama for print, TV and radio are all welcome, and pieces are regularly recorded and broadcast on “Later with Carole” on BBC Radio Lancashire.

BBC RaW – our reading and writing initiative – supports the group, and when the RaW team read some of the work the members had produced they were impressed enough to commission a book from the group. Authors were invited to submit pieces, and the cream of the crop – a very difficult decision, as all the work was of a fantastic standard – were chosen to be included in the anthology.

Ted Robbins and Carole Turner hosted the launch party, with a lovely buffet – and a cake with a replica of the book’s cover on top! Ted read his “Lancashire Sonnet”, an exclusive piece written specially for the RaW campaign and included in the book – and encouraged those authors present to do the same! Our UcLan journalism students came down to interview the writers, and Brett Davison broadcast part of his show live from the Open Centre… all in all, it was quite an event!

“At The Kitchen Table” is available now from the BBC Lancashire Open Centre on Darwen Street – and shortly from the BBC Bus, wherever it may be around the county. Come along and pick up a copy – it’s FREE, and it’s a good read, and it might even inspire you to put pen to paper.

For hints and tips on getting started – or reacquainted – with reading and writing, click on bbc.co.uk/raw… and if you fancy some encouragement, why not become a member of East Lancashire Writers? Membership is open to all, and experience – or lack of it – is no bar. Email garry.scott@bbc.co.uk for more information.