WORTH OUR WEIGHT IN GOLD
The Weekend
SORRY. Bookings for the WOWIG event have now closed.
ACW’s golden jubilee year ends on a high note, with a BIG celebration. The planning seems to have gone on for ever, with uncertainties and postponements, but now the contract is signed and it is possible to reserve your place on a residential writers’ weekend jamboree from Friday 3 to Sunday 5 June 2022. ACW president Adrian Plass and his wife, Bridget, will be with us, heading a line-up of keynote speakers you will not want to miss, including:
- Paul Kerensa – stand-up comedian, sit-com writer for the BBC, children’s book author, blogger, and more …
- Tony Collins – freelance commissioning editor, publisher of Christian books, founded Monarch Books in 1988 and ran the imprint (now part of Lion Hudson), as well as writer of his own book about walking the Camino de Santiago de Compostela.
- Jonathan Bryan will also be joining us, the youngest member of ACW to date, we cannot call him a speaker, because he cannot speak in the conventional sense, but found his voice through devoted carers and modern technology to write a book Eye Can Write. Jonathan will be a special guest making an inspiring contribution to the weekend through intermediaries.
- Anne Booth is the author of more than 20 children’s books such as Refuge, Bloom and the Magical Kingdom of Birds series. She is about to publish her first title for adults, Small Miracles, about three nuns who play the lottery in an attempt to raise funds to save their convent. We’re looking forward to hearing her thoughts on writing for the mainstream market, writing politically and writing to make a difference.
There will be a chance to meet these well-known writers in person, maybe buy signed copies of some of their books, as we share the weekend together. You can also sell your own books through the bookstall if you bring some with you. The ACW jubilee compendium Write Well will be available to buy too, to inform your writing for years to come.
Join in with writing workshops, open mic sessions, storytelling, making music, as well as creative worship with input from our speakers on Sunday morning.
The focal point on Saturday will be a gala evening with a chance to put your glad rags on for a wine reception when Adrian and Bridget Plass will host a celebration party. We will raise a glass to Her Majesty the Queen as she celebrates her platinum jubilee during the same weekend. Meanwhile, ACW will be presenting awards, sharing anecdotes, no doubt indulging in some silliness and, we hope, a lot of laughter and joy as we reminisce together about 50 years of Christian Writers.
All this is happening at The Hayes centre in Swanwick, Derbyshire. (Please do not contact The Hayes, or CCT, directly to book.) ACW will be handling the bookings as a group. We have reserved 120 places with en-suite bedrooms in various sizes. You can share a room if you want to, but you don’t have to. To join us for this fabulous weekend, the price is £225 per ACW member and £255 per non-member. This includes everything you need for the weekend, except travel to and from The Hayes.
Please do not arrive at The Hayes until 4pm on Friday, 3 June. Our booking does not start until that time.
For those who live locally and would like to join in the fun on Saturday 4 June only, day passes will be available at £70. There is a special offer for day passes, where four or more people booking together are eligible for a discounted rate of £60 per person. This is to reduce our carbon footprint, to encourage friends to travel together. All four names must be on the same booking form. A day pass will give you access to all talks and activities with meals and refreshments from 9am onwards (after breakfast) until the end of the wine reception and grand gala party in the evening. Bring your tiara! Please note that bookings for day passes will close on Tuesday, 20 May.
The aim is to make this event something to talk about for the next 50 years. If you have any questions before you book please contact Jane Brocklehurst by email events@christianwriters.co.uk.
See you there.
Jane Brocklehurst ~ ACW Events Manager
Sponsors for the WOWIG Weekend
