A Celebration of Independent Bookshops: Green Pastures Named “Bookshop Champion”
(Photo: Booksellers Association)
As Independent Bookshop Week approaches, Green Pastures, a Christian bookshop in Dereham, has been recognized as one of the 20 “Bookshop Champions” by the Booksellers Association. This accolade highlights the shop’s special place within the local community and its role as Norfolk and Suffolk’s exclusive specialist Christian bookseller.
Green Pastures, which previously won the national “Best Christian Bookshop” award, exemplifies the diversity and cultural significance of independent bookshops. The Booksellers Association’s selection process involved open submissions from its members, aiming to celebrate the sector’s values and strengths.
The upcoming Independent Bookshop Week, scheduled from June 13-20, marks its 20th anniversary. In celebration, a poem by author Matt Goodfellow will be featured.
Helen Cockburn from Green Pastures shared, “Our bookshop in Dereham is a place of joy for our community. It has become rather like a bookish living room for some of our customers. People drop in and relax. A welcome smile awaits with the offer of a free coffee/tea and a friendly chat. We want people to come in, browse books, and even listen to a story at our listening station in a comfy corner of the shop.”
She encouraged, “Please support us during Indie Bookshop Week. We want more people to enjoy reading good books, so give us a shout of encouragement on our socials and drop in. It makes all the difference.”
Emma Bradshaw, Head of Marketing and Communications at the Booksellers Association, expressed, “We’re honoured to announce Green Pastures as one of our Bookshop Champions, following an open submission process across our membership. The quality of entries made the selection incredibly challenging, and the final selection beautifully reflects the variety, creativity and value independent bookshops bring to readers of all ages.”
As the event draws near, anticipation builds to witness the vibrant contributions of these cherished bookshops to the literary community.
This article was originally written by www.christiantoday.com
