Anonymous donor saves book festival

ORGANISERS of the NessBookFest are celebrating after an anonymous donation closed the funding gap that had threatened this year’s programme.

Organiser Barbara Henderson said the last minute donation of £500 from a local company who asked not to be named means they can go ahead with the festival as planned, due to start next week.

The group had launched a crowdfunding campaign after their application for funding to public arts development agency Creative Scotland was unsuccessful, leaving a shortfall of £4200.

Ms Henderson said the final donor had come forward after reading about their plight in the Inverness Courier.

"Now that all the money has come in, due to the generosity of organisations and businesses and individuals, we can now concentrate on making it happen," she said.

"I am so relieved and grateful. Thank you Inverness, and thank you Inverness Courier."

The four-day NessBookFest, in its second year, gets under way on Thursday (October 5), taking place in venues across Inverness including schools and libraries.

Admission to all events is free but tickets are required.

For details see https://nessbookfest.wordpress.com/

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