Suffolk Libraries’ annual Wild Reads programme run in partnership with Suffolk Wildlife Trust, has relaunched for 2024. 
First launched in 2020, Wild Reads celebrates the connection between the natural world and the written word. It features a variety of creative writing and arts workshops, each crafted to explore and celebrate the environment and what we can do to protect natural habitats around Suffolk. This year, there will also be a new ‘Go Wild’ children’s programme which will encourage little eco warriors and young nature enthusiasts to explore nature in their local area throughout autumn with activities and recommended books with environmental themes.
Wild Reads will run until 22 December and will also be highlighted during Green Libraries Week from 7-13 October and there will be special nature-inspired activities for children during half term.
This year’s featured six-book collection includes Losing Eden by Lucy Jones, Folk by Zoe Gilbert, World of Wonders by Aimee Nezhukumatathil, Beak, Tooth and Claw by Mary Colwell, Being a Beast by Charles Foster, and Into the Tangled Bank by Lev Parikian. A new collection of poems by Suffolk-based poet Rebecca Goss, Latch, is also being spotlighted as part of Wild Reads.
The book promotion is taking place at libraries in Ipswich, Framlingham, Hadleigh, Sudbury and Glemsford, but all featured books can be reserved from any library across Suffolk.
Lisa Brennan, Content and Reader Development Librarian at Suffolk Libraries, said:
“We are delighted to be partnering with Suffolk Wildlife Trust once again on Wild Reads. Wild Reads is an annual promotion including a specially curated list of books exploring nature and wildlife. This year we have an extraordinary programme of events, workshops and activities across multiple libraries and an online author event which is free and accessible from anywhere.”
Jack Cripps, Communication Manager at Suffolk Wildlife Trust, added:
“We are delighted to continue to collaborate with Suffolk Libraries on Wild Reads. The libraries team have selected some beautiful nature writing titles this year and we hope the stories within the pages will inspire readers get out into nature and to take action for wildlife where they live, work and study.”
The Wild Reads and Go Wild programmes will feature almost 100 nature-themed events taking place across our libraries and outdoor spaces around the county. These include author talks with Lucy Jones and Rebecca Goss, foraging workshops, silent nature discos, clay craft workshops, sensory forest gardens with Make Play, theatre performances, poetry writing workshops, nature sketching workshops, herbology classes and lots more.
The full list of events hosted by Suffolk Libraries is available on the Suffolk Libraries website. Suffolk Wildlife Trust are also hosting nature-themed events including guided walks, talks on climate change, natural dye workshops and more. You can see the full list on the Suffolk Wildlife Trust website.
A few highlighted events include:
- Self/Contained – an exhibition at Lowestoft Library by former Environmentalist in Residence and textiles artist Clare Sams. The exhibition will be available to view from Monday 7 to Saturday 12 October to coincide with Greener Libraries Week.
- Online author talk with Lucy Jones – Lucy Jones, one of our featured authors as part of this year’s collection, will be talking to us about her book, Losing Eden, on Wednesday 23 October.
- Walk, Draw and Cast with Eleanor Rodwell – a guided workshop led by Suffolk artist Eleanor Rodwell with drawing activities suitable for adults. These workshops take place at Hadleigh Library on 12 October, Framlingham Library on 31 October, and Ipswich County Library on 1 November.
- Nature Silent Disco – Martin Scaiff, Suffolk Libraries’ Environmentalist in Residence, will be hosting nature silent discoes at Sudbury Library on 2 October and at Mildenhall Library on 16 October.
- Herbology Class – learn how to make wild herbal potions and cleansing smoke sticks at this herbology class for all ages at Ipswich County Library on 26 October.
- Author talk with Rebecca Goss – Goss’ poetry collection Latch is about reconnecting to Suffolk and understanding what it once held, and what it now holds for her family. Goss will be talking to us at Ipswich County Library on 12 November.
