Shhh…The truth about what really goes on in GWL…

This is a TOP SECRET blog-post. You may read it only if you promise not to tell – so cross your heart and hope to die!

Every Thursday between 12 and 2 a lively group of women arrive at GWL. Some come in quietly, some alone, some noisily, some in groups. And all of them bring mysteriously bulging bags.

Well, you might think, it’s a library; their bags are probably stuffed with books. But though there may well be the odd book tucked away in there, what you’re more likely to find are:

• cakes – often home-baked by Aileen
• cheeses, soft and hard
• tubs of hummus
• salads – crunchy, leafy, colourful
• crusty loaves
• snowballs (Lees, that is)
• home-made Chinese dumplings (thanks, Virginia! They’re the real thing!)
• and more treats and delicacies than I can mention here. (today we had Wendy’s guacamole, no less)

Of course, as always at GWL, we have the urn boiled and tea is quickly brewed.

But whoah! This is a library! What about the books, the reading?

Fear not… for this is our hugely popular Read, Relax, Recharge group, and an interest in books is exactly why these women are  getting together. The bring-your-own lunch part becomes a bit like the loaves and the fishes. Everyone brings a little something and we end up with a feast.

The group is organised by myself as Reader in Residence and our lovely librarian, Wendy. Together we’ve selected a range of pieces to read out loud – from complete short stories, to extracts from novels and novellas. And every week we have a poem too. We read, you relax.

Yesterday we read the start of Jessie Kesson’s Another Time, Another Place, followed by Con-densation, a lively and humorous poem from Scottish Makar, Liz Lochhead. Another time we might read a piece from the American Deep South, or Canada, or Africa or India. We try to ring the changes, covering different cultures and centuries, but always the pieces will be by women writers.

After the readings we indulge in relaxed, informative – and often highly entertaining – discussions. More pots of tea are made, delicious dishes passed round.

Read, Relax, Recharge is a great way to meet interesting women and discover new writers you might not have thought of trying. You don’t have to say anything about the pieces if you don’t want to. Remember, this is the Read, Relax, Recharge group. It’s a stress-free zone. The two hours fly by, and before we know it we’re  clearing up.

So there you go. Another of GWL’s secrets is out. Read, Relax, Recharge is a free event, but we do have a collection box if you’d like to say thank you.

Maybe I’ll see you at Read, Relax, Recharge some time soon. Just for the record – I love goat’s cheese, grapes and rice chocolate crispy cake.

Happy reading!

Magi

ps Someone has cracked the GWL secret code! But who? And what on earth is it? All will be revealed on Saturday’s blog-post.