The Barnes Children's Literature Festival (BCLF) raised £6,730 in its first ever Christmas Art Auction for its free Primary Schools Programme. 

Part of the Christmas Art Auction were Gruffalo creator, Axel Scheffler, the superstar creator of How to Train Your Dragon, Cressida Cowell, the million selling author of the Tom Gates series, Liz Pichon, among many more of the UK's top illustrators.   

Next year the Festival will provide over 9,000 places at their curriculum-linked author and illustrator sessions free to every state primary school in Richmond and Kingston boroughs both in Barnes, and at Twickenham Stadium and The Rose Theatre, for schools further afield.  

BCLF say this will be followed by the public Festival on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 June 2025 with over 100 author events, workshops, performances and free activities around Barnes Pond for young readers and writers and their families.  

"At Barnes we believe in the magic that happens when children meet the authors and illustrators of the books they have read in class and the lasting impact that this can have," said Director Amanda Brettargh. "Because we believe that every child should have this opportunity we've worked hard to provide our Programme free for state primary schools."

Tom Gates creator Liz Pichon in action at the Barnes Children's Literature Festival (credit: lieselbocklphotography).

She added: "We have no major sponsor and receive no statutory or regular funding of any kind so we use 100% of our surplus from ticket sales from our public festival to provide our Programme free for the schools.

"Thanks to the support of all our extraordinary authors and illustrators for our first fundraiser we'll be able to reach more children than ever before next year with the power and joy of live literature."

To find out more about BCLF and its Christmas fundraiser click here.

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