FARNHAM’S first Literary Festival was launched in the poetic surroundings of Farnham Pottery in Wrecclesham last Tuesday evening (March 1).

The mayor of Farnham, Cllr Alan Earwaker, and town council’s lead member for events, Cllr Kika Mirylees, declared the week-long festivities open before guests were treated to a sample of the literary treats on offer.

Two actors from the Guildford Shakespeare Company delivered a hearty preview of their Shakespeare Walks in Farnham town centre on March 12 and 13.

Performances were also given by street poet Apex Zero ahead of a concert of ‘drill’ music at The Vineyard Centre on March 11, as well as students from the University for the Creative Arts.

The latter included an extract from Rosemary Whitby’s book on memories of her childhood in Farnham.

The mayor hailed the festival organisers for putting on an “astonishing” 50-plus events as part of the Farnham Literary Festival celebrations from last Saturday (March 5) to this Sunday (March 13).

And Cllr Mirylees urged literary lovers of all ages and interests to take a look at the listings at https://farnhamliteraryfestival.co.uk – with the festival “embracing as many genres as possible”.