Struggling families are
to receive a lockdown boost as some of the biggest names in the world of crime
fiction come together to raise money for food banks. Household names such as
Lee Child, Val McDermid, Richard Osman, Martina Cole, Ian Rankin, Ruth Ware, Don
Winslow and Anthony Horowitz are teaming up with TV celebrities such as Steph
McGovern and Janey Godley to raise money for the foodbank charity Trussell
Trust. They are all taking part in an online charity festival called ‘The
Locked Up Festival’, that is the brainchild of Steve Cavanagh and Luca Veste,
the authors behind the hit podcast Two Crime Writers and a Microphone.
With so many writing
festivals cancelled for the foreseeable future, the voices behind the podcast
Two Crime Writers and a Microphone have created (yet) another online festival,
but one with a difference. Anyone who listens to the podcast knows that they
approach interviews and book news with a slightly different edge to others –
preferring the irreverent, than the norm. Taking that ethos from the podcast,
they have put that into practise with planned events and talks that won’t be
the usual chat you will hear at other festivals.
In the recent pandemic,
more people have been using foodbanks than before. As reported in the Guardian,
“The Trussell Trust, the UK’s biggest food bank network, said it gave out 89%
more food parcels in April, compared to the same month last year”, which shows
the need for support for those struggling.
Across three days,
forty authors, broadcasters, and comedians, will appear on panels such as ‘The
Worst Book Event in My Life’, ‘Am I the A**ehole’, and ‘TV Heaven and Hell’.
Events guaranteed to provide something a little different for those watching.
All panels and ‘In Conversations’ will be streamed live to Zoom attendees and
exclusive only to ticketholders.
Tickets will cost £20
for a full weekend pass, hours of entertainment, giveaways, competitions, with
all proceeds from the festival going directly to The Trussell Trust. They’re
available now from Eventbrite.
Waterstones are the
official bookseller for the festival and a discount code will be available to
all attendees for specific sales related to the panellists books. More details
on their website.
Statement from Luca
& Steve -
Both of us grew up
working class and relied on charities at various times during our
childhoods (and beyond). We’ve been acutely aware that food banks have been put
under immense pressure because of the lockdown and job losses that
occurred due to the pandemic. We wanted to do something to give back to a
charity like the ones which supported us when we needed it. Therefore, we have
partnered with the Trussell Trust, who support 2/3 of the UK's food banks,
to raise much needed additional funds for them. We are both incredibly grateful
to the many authors, comedians, and TV presenters who have come onboard, and we
promise a weekend filled with laughter, intrigue, and a little bit of crime
book talk.
Statement from Emma
Revie, chief executive of the Trussell Trust
“We are so grateful to
Steve and Luca, and everyone involved at the crime writing festival, for
raising vital funds in order to support our work. Every donation will help us
continue to support our network of food banks to provide the best possible
emergency help to people referred at an uncertain time.
“We’re working closely
with our network to understand each food bank’s situation, and how we can best
support them. Wide-ranging conversations are continuing with national partners,
exploring how we can work together to help ensure people can access support in
the coming weeks, how we get vital food to the places it’s most needed, and how
we can help boost volunteer numbers in areas where extra volunteers may be
needed.
“Everyone should be
able to afford their own food and the support from this festival will help
people get the emergency support they need today, while working towards a
future where people have enough money for the essentials in life.”
About Two Crime Writers
and a Microphone - Two Crime Writers and a Microphone is a podcast launched in
2017 and has built through live events into one of the most popular lit
podcasts with thousands of listeners per week. Hosted by bestselling crime
writers Steve Cavanagh and Luca Veste , over 100 episodes of the show have been
released with some of the biggest and best crime writers in the business as
guests.
About The Trussell
Trust - We support a nationwide network of food banks and together we provide
emergency food and support to people locked in poverty, and campaign for change
to end the need for food banks in the UK. There are more than 1,200 food bank
centres in our network, we estimate this is about two thirds of the food banks
in the UK. We support these food banks to provide a minimum of three days’
nutritionally-balanced emergency food to people who have been referred in
crisis (for instance by advice agencies, GPs, social services and schools), as
well as support to help people resolve the crises they face. More than 14
million people in the UK live below the poverty line. We know it takes more
than food to end hunger. So we bring together the experiences of food banks in
our network, and their communities, to challenge the structural economic issues
that lock people in poverty, and campaign for change to end the need for food
banks in the UK.
Emails and/or phone
numbers for contacts here –
Two Crime Writers and a
Microphone – twocrimewritersandamicrophone@gmail.com
Steve Cavanagh – 07841638220
Luca Veste – 07711525530
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