Propeller have some amazing clients and we’re proud to support the work that they do. Here’s just one of them!
Preston Book Group – Lucy Sunderland
Creating a community.
Background
At 23, Lucy Sunderland began the Preston Book Group in January 2018 when she returned to Preston after graduation. Upon return, the majority of Lucy’s friends had left town and she felt the desire to meet new people who shared her interests and would attend events such as author talks with her.
“I had looked around Preston for book clubs/ groups that I could join, but found that most of them were in the day, only read classics, or you had to email to attend. I wanted one which felt more like a community then a formal meeting, so I created one.”
Taking the initiative to start one herself has proved successful. A year after inception, the Preston Book Group has a membership pool of over 200 people, with between 15-25 attendees at regular sessions.
How Propeller Helps
Lucy began engaging with Propeller from the get-go, developing her idea into actions that came to make the Preston Book Group a reality. Attending workshops and networking events, as well as regular 1-to-1’s with mentor Steve., she also works from the Propeller Hub from time to time.
“I tend to have a lot of ideas at once and no idea how to properly develop them. This is where I value Propeller the most: I have been able to confirm the ideas I want to work on and I am then supported and sign-posted with ways I can help myself.”
Recent Projects
In addition to the monthly meet-ups, the Preston Book Group has recently held two events with published authors.
In February, the group held a book panel with authors Naomi Krüger and Sam Graham, alongside the Head of UCLan Publishing, Debbie Williams. The speakers were asked about their own books and work, their experience of publishing, and general book related questions. The event provided an insight into a side of publishing that attendees felt had been previously unknown, and many commented on how glad they were that they could attend such high-quality events in Preston, rather than needing to travel to larger cities.
Following the book panel, Preston Book Group hosted a second event: a talk with author A.J. Hartley. The event allowed members to have a lively discussion with him about his Preston-based book ‘Cold Bath Street’, as well as the newly published ‘Monsters in the Mirror’.
What’s Next?
Preston Book Group are currently in the process of changing the venue of their meetings from the Town House Coffee Shop to the UCLan Harrington Social Space. This move will accommodate the group’s growing membership, giving them enough space for book swaps and other activities whilst keeping the sessions free of charge.
Find Out More
The Preston Book Group meet on the last Tuesday of the month if you would like to join in. The books for March are ‘Smoke Gets in Your Eyes: And Other Lessons from the Crematory’ by Caitlin Doughty and ‘Fingersmith’ by Sarah Waters.
To find out about their upcoming books and additional events, check out the Preston Book Group website and follow them on social media:
