NEW WRITING FESTIVAL WAS CRIMINALLY GOOD

More than 200 literatureloving visitors attended the Winston Churchill Theatre for a sell-out writing festival featuring some of the country's top crime authors.

Attendees at the inaugural Hillingdon Libraries Crime Festival got books signed and heard first-hand accounts during exclusive interviews with nine acclaimed authors, who shared insights into their writing and upcoming projects.

These included The Reverend Richard Coles of Strictly Come Dancing and I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! fame, along with Mark Billingham, SJ Bennett, Fiona Cummins and Elly Griffiths.

Speaking after the festival, author SJ Bennett, said: "The Hillingdon Libraries Crime Festival is a new highlight in the crime writing calendar.

"It was a delight to be part of an impressive line-up, and to meet so many enthusiastic readers afterwards. After such a great start, I'm sure the festival will go from strength to strength."

The event builds on the popularity of Hillingdon Council's regular 'Coffee and Crime' author events, which feature talks from top writers delivering one of the key ambitions of its Library Service Strategy (2023-2027) to promote reading and literacy through new initiatives.

The strategy sets out five ambitions that build on and enhance initiatives already available in council libraries, promoting reading, literacy and culture; health and wellbeing; digital services and inclusion; information and learning; and sustainable service delivery. Cllr Eddie Lavery, Hillingdon Council's Cabinet Member for Community and Environment, said: "We are proud to offer residents a broad, modern range of library services and events that help foster healthy, happy communities, so it was brilliant to see how popular our first crime-writers' festival was.”