A town isn’t a town without a bookshop. And the more so if there is a 10 per cent discount on hardbacks in these hard times. But Marlborough’s White Horse Bookshop, founded 60 years ago, is more than that.
It has become a mecca over the years as a centre for one day art workshops – now creative writing adventures too – which have proved an attraction to the retired, young mothers and students too who want to develop their talents.
“We’ve also got a knitting workshop going too,” says Edwina Pearce (pictured), who has been organising the workshops for almost 13 years, as well as running the White Horse’s professional artists’ materials department.
“So I’m always looked outside the box for new people who can offer something different. It’s a job I enjoy. So my heart goes into it. And it works wonderfully, up to eight people meeting in warm and comfortable surroundings to develop their talents.
“It’s almost like a club, a miniature version of Marlborough’s Summer School, with people coming back year after year. I love to see them again. They send me emails telling me what they’re doing. It’s great, like being part of a big family.”
It’s a family too with foreign members. Penny Dedman, who lives in Luxembourg, arranges visits to her daughter to coincide with workshop classes, Ann Summers comes from Spain to meet up with old friends, and Ann Meale travels from the Isle of Wight to attend workshops with her daughter.
The renown of the tutors working in an upstairs studio with windows on three sides in the 17th century bookshop building adds to the value of the workshops.
Bill Mather, whose workshop this Saturday is on Wiltshire landscapes in three colour acrylics, is but one of them, along with Susanna Bailey and Kim Vines, all professional artists with their own websites where you can see their work for yourself.
The relaxed, friendly atmosphere is one of the workshops’ virtues, which is recognised by Debby Guest, a member of the bookselling staff.
“What we offer is a comfortable, non-pressurised environment for people to come in and do something they always fancied trying their hand at and never knew quite where to start,” Debby explains.
“Everybody can have a say, have a go. Nobody is going to get left out and neither is anybody going to be pushed to the front.
“If you’ve not tried pastels, there’s a tutor there who will set a project, show you techniques, give you ideas and you can go out at the end of the day with a finished piece of work.” she explains.
“The classes are incredibly popular. We have people who come back time after time.”
Many will welcome novelist Debby Holt and short story writer Alison Clink are now giving workshops in creative writing.
“They enable people to kick-start something they have always wanted to do, to write their own life story, a short story or a novel,” adds Debby Guest. “They may have always wanted to write a novel but never really knew how to get going.
“The first rule in writing is bum on seat and this is it, for a whole day you can get on with it.”
The workshops, which take place on a weekly basis until June 10, cost £27 with a £15 deposit required when booking.
For full details see White Horse website – www.whitehorsebooks.co.uk