Llanelli Community Reads results
Welsh Assembly Education Minister Jane Hutt announced the winners of Llanelli Community Reads at the town library on the evening of Tuesday 23 September. The winners are Coeliwch neu Beidio by Roy Davies and Before the Last All Clear by Ray Evans.
Readers have voted for their favourite books out of 10 shortlisted titles – five Welsh and five English - and the winners will be promoted throughout the community in different and unusual ways during the autumn.
The shortlisted books were Cofio Grav by Keith Davies, Borley Cymru by J. Towyn Jones, Mae Llygaid gan y Lleuad by Elin Llwyd Morgan, Coeliwch neu Beidio by Roy Davies, Cofio Pwy Ydw I by Huw Ceredig, Persons Living or Dead by Nia Williams, The Hardest Test by Scott Quinnell, A Funny Kind of Love by Siân Lloyd, Before the Last All Clear by Ray Evans and Staying Strong by Robin McBryde.
Llanelli was chosen as one of only two ‘reading community’ towns in Wales in a campaign being promoted by the Welsh Books Council on behalf of the Welsh Assembly Government, and administered through local authority library services. It is part of a drive to encourage people to read more during 2008, which has been designated as a National Year of Reading.
Carmarthenshire County Council Libraries and Heritage Manager, Dewi Thomas, said: "We are extremely proud that Llanelli was one of only two Welsh towns to be selected as Reading Communities in celebration of the National Year of Reading. We are particularly delighted that Ray Evans was able to take part in the ceremony as he was on a visit to Britain. The competition is one of the ways in which we are promoting reading within the community and we are delighted with its success."
The full programme for the evening included information about the scheme by the Welsh Books Council, an introduction by the executive board member for education, Cllr Ieuan Jones, and a reading of extracts from the winning titles in Welsh and English by Delyth Nicholas and Garry Nicholas.
A programme of activities focusing on the books will take place over the next two months. This will include placing copies of the books in unexpected places to promote the titles and to promote reading during the 2008 National Year of Reading.
There are more than half a million books available in Carmarthenshire’s 31 libraries and five mobile libraries, as well as music, films, talking books, public information points and information about local communities. Internet access is available at all of the facilities and more information can be found at www.carmarthenshire.gov.uk
