The Book Case – Flooded

Posted on by

When I saw on television the damage that the floods have caused over the last few weeks I realised how lucky we’ve been in this part of Pembrokeshire. There have been some heartbreaking images and stories of people being forced out of their homes, of businesses, livelihoods being lost.  But, recently, it was one photograph in a newspaper that stayed with me.

The Bookcase

It was in an article in The Guardian under  the headlines “Leading authors join drive to help flood-hit Yorkshire bookshop.” Well known authors were being asked to donate their books for auction to raise funds for a local independent book shop, The Book Case in Hebden Bridge which, before the floods looked like this:

I love Yorkshire; I originally came from a village there. We’ve had many holidays walking in the Yorkshire Dales.  Hebden Bridge is a town we’ve visited .I couldn’t get the image of that shop and all those destroyed books out of my mind.

Not being a well known, famous author it didn’t initially occur to me that I could help in any way. But then I looked at all the books on the shelves in my study. Many of them are from independent bookshops, places where the owners have gone out of their way to help me find a book for research; one  that might be out of print or  so obscure that even large on-line  outlets don’t stock it. 

So I wrote an email ” could I,  a ‘not well known’ author help by donating copies of  my trilogy to the shop?” The answer came back in no time from someone who is coordinating part of the appeal, herself a writer, Carol Bridgestock – “Thank you Books are being very gratefully accepted.”

judith2

I’m glad I offered. I contacted my publishers, Honno, to let them know about the appeal and they are also looking into donating some books. 

By the way, if you do feel that you could support this, I have an address where you can send your book to. They are keeping them safe until the shop is dry enough to restock:-

 
  The Bookcase
C/O Waterside Gym
Valley Road
Hebden Bridge
HX7 7BZ

These are the websites to see all the details: 

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/dec/30/leading-authors-help-flood-hit-yorkshire-bookshop-jon-ronson-ian-rankin-hebden-bridge

http://www.bookcase.co.uk/

http://rcbridgestock.com/

http://www.honno.co.uk/

44 thoughts on “The Book Case – Flooded”

  6. Pingback: Judith Barrow: The Book Case – Flooded | Daily Echo

  15. Brilliant Judith. So sad to hear about the devastation. Your kindness to help rebuild and replenish also rewards you with opportunity to get your books in that venue. From darkness, follows with light. ❤

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

  16. Thanks for the information here. I read the article but it didn’t occur to me to donate books. Llke you, I’m not well known, on top of which I’m published in the U.S., not the U.K. But yes, I’ll contact them. Thanks.

    Like

    Reply ↓

Leave a reply to lovessiamese Cancel reply