Friends of Marsden Library

Northern Writers Reading Poetry Launch and Open Mic with Tim E Taylor
2022-04-28 19:30 - 21:00 (Europe/London) | Marsden Library, Marsden Mechanics Hall, Peel Street, Marsden, West Yorkshire, HD7 6BW, United Kingdom
Join Tim Taylor for the launch of his second poetry collection, LifeTimes, published by Maytree Press. There will also be a short open mic.
Tim Taylor writes fiction and poetry. He has published two novels, Zeus of Ithome and Revolution Day, with Crooked Cat, and a poetry collection, Sea Without a Shore, with Maytree Press; a second, LifeTimes, will be published in March 2022. His poems and stories have won, or been shortlisted in, a number of competitions and appeared in various magazines (e.g. Acumen, Orbis, Pennine Platform) and anthologies. Tim lives in Meltham, West Yorkshire, teaches Ethics at Leeds University, and enjoys playing the guitar and walking up hills (not usually at the same time).
28th April
Marsden Library
Doors 7pm
Event Starts 7.30
Free event, booking required, or sign up at Marsden Library

Author Talk: Rob Vincent, 'Colne Valley, A History of a Pennine Landscape'
2022-03-10 19:30 - 21:00 | Marsden Mechanics, HD7 6BW
Join Rob Vincent in the historic Marsden Mechanics Hall for a talk based on his book ‘Colne Valley: A History of a Pennine Landscape’.
This book is a tribute to the visual strengths of the Colne Valley’s landscape and a narrative of its development. It is inspired by the author’s experience of living for over 30 years in a house whose built form reflects the Valley’s centuries-long dual economy of domestic cloth making and small-scale farming, and whose stones were quarried from the hillside where it stands. From affection for his family home at Harts Hole grew a wider understanding, and a deeper appreciation, of the landscape as a whole. The book shares both the enthusiasm and the learning that developed during that journey.

Thursday 10th March
Marsden Mechanics
Doors Open 7pm
Event Starts 7.30 pm
Licensed Bar

This is a free event, but you do need to book a ticket. If you would like to make a donation to support our work that would be greatly appreciated, there is an option when reserving your ticket.

Book Your Ticket

Volunteer Opportunities with Marsden Library
2022-03-09 13:30 - 15:30 | Marsden Library, Marsden Mechanics Hall, Peel Street, Marsden, West Yorkshire, HD7 6BW, United Kingdom

Friends of Marsden Library AGM
2021-12-13 18:45 - 19:30 | Marsden Library, Marsden Mechanics Hall, Peel Street, Marsden, West Yorkshire, HD7 6BW, United Kingdom
Agenda and Papers

SOLD OUT NEW DATE: Amanda Owen: the Yorkshire Shepherdess (HLF 2020)
2021-12-12 | Marsden Mechanics, HD7 6BW
HLF has announced that the Amanda Owen event will go ahead on the afternoon of 12 December in Marsden Mechanics, 3pm – 4pm.
All existing tickets remain valid. If you would prefer a refund, please send your name and details of your tickets to info@huddlitfest.org.uk
This event is sold out and HLF is not currently expecting to put further tickets on sale.
From teenage Goth in Huddersfield to rural sheep farmer…
Star of the C5 series, Our Yorkshire Farm, Amanda Owen grew up in Huddersfield but was inspired by the James Herriot books to find work as a shepherdess, cow milker and alpaca shearer. Today, she runs a 2,000-acre sheep farm at Ravenseat in the Yorkshire Dales, along with her husband Clive and nine children.
A Sunday Times bestselling author, Amanda has entertained readers with her trademark Yorkshire grit and humour in The Yorkshire Shepherdess and A Year in the Life of the Yorkshire Shepherdess. Her latest book, Adventures of the Yorkshire Shepherdess, is an uplifting and inspiring update on life on the farm, from facing the brutal winter of 2018 to renovating an old farmhouse as a new family home.
Voted ‘Yorkshirewoman of the Year’ by The Dalesman magazine, Amanda has also appeared on ITV’s Countrywise and The Dales, and in Ben Fogle’s New Lives in the Wild.
Amanda will be interviewed by BBC Radio York presenter Jeremy Buxton at this fun and entertaining event for Mothers’ Day.
No age restrictions (Under 16s should be accompanied by an adult).

Climate Voices
2021-11-30 18:30 | Marsden Library, Marsden Mechanics Hall, Peel Street, Marsden, West Yorkshire, HD7 6BW, United Kingdom
Join a network of small groups across Kirklees discussing ideas around climate change and influence decision-makers locally and globally.

Our planet is heating up, reaching dangerous levels.
Polluted air, water and land impacts on every living thing.
Political and business leaders are talking about climate change and campaigners are working hard to influence decisions.
How can you help shape decisions and action around climate change?

Diverse groups from across Kirklees will meet at the same time in different places to talk through issues and ideas.
Come and be part of a group looking at how the Colne Valley can reduce its environmental impact.
The groups taking part across Kirklees will link into one big Zoom meeting for a few minutes during the event, so each group can hear from others.
All the notes and videos from the events will be presented to the Global Assembly and the Kirklees Climate Commission, so small groups voices become part of big decisions.
These events are part of the Global Assembly (www.globalassembly.org) providing an opportunity for communities all over the world to help make fair and effective action on climate change a reality – in the Kirklees area and globally.
More information from hello@climatevoices.org.uk
Climate Voices is a small group of local people working in partnership with:
Kirklees Council, Third Sector Leaders Kirklees, Global Assembly, Zero Carbon Yorkshire and Kirklees Climate Commission
Register free

An Evening with Fettle Animation
2021-11-04 19:30 - 21:30 | Marsden Mechanics, HD7 6BW
Screening of work by Marsden’s own multi-award-winning animation company
Fettle is a multi-award-winning animation production company, just coming in to its tenth year.
Their work includes children’s television, music videos, charity and business promotions, and animations about social issues.
They’ve been twice BAFTA nominated, won 6 Royal Television Society Awards, a Sandford St Martin’s Children’s Award and a prestigious Japan Prize for educational media. Their work has been shown on the BBC, ITV, by international broadcasters, major film and animation festivals and screened at the United Nations in New York. Their books have also won awards around the world.
Join us for a screening of a selection of our award-winning animations and find out more about how they were made.
Signed copies of their graphic novel, Survivors of the Holocaust will also be available to buy on the night.
All welcome (including children aged 8 upwards if accompanied by an adult)
Licensed bottle bar.

Get your FREE ticket via Eventbite

Marsden Calendar On Sale Now
2021-09-24 - 2021-12-31 | West Yorkshire
The calendar is also available online, +£.50 for delivery.

Marsden Calendar - Exhibition of Winning Photographs
2021-09-24 - 2021-10-20 | West Yorkshire
Winning Photographs from the 2021 Marsden Calendar competition are on display in the Foyer of the Mechanics.
When? During Building Opening Times
FREE
Check out the great talent on display, and why not pick up your copy of the Calendar from the Library whilst you’re there. (Here’s when the Library is open as well).
Also available from lots of Marsden and Slawit stockists.
Essential for every busy family, and a great Christmas present.

Amanda Huggins and Sarah Linley - A Yorkshire Day Event in Marsden Library
2021-07-30 19:30 - 21:30 | Marsden Library, Marsden Mechanics Hall, Peel Street, Marsden, West Yorkshire, HD7 6BW, United Kingdom
Celebrate Yorkshire Day with the return of FoML’s Northern Writers Reading events in Marsden Library!
Amanda Huggins and Sarah Linley
Friday 30th July, 7.00 for a 7.30 start.
Free but get there early to secure your seat, or reserve a seat here
Amanda Huggins Amanda Huggins is the author of All Our Squandered Beauty, which won the 2021 Saboteur Award for Best Novella, and four collections of short stories and poetry.
Her most recent short story collection, Scratched Enamel Heart, was also shortlisted for a Saboteur Award this year, and her debut poetry collection, The Collective Nouns for Birds, won a Saboteur Award in 2020.
Sarah Linley lives in West Yorkshire and works as a Communications Manager for a housing charity in Bradford.
She spent two years backpacking around South-East Asia with her husband. Their travels inspired her debut novel, The Beach. Her second novel, The Wedding Guest, will be published by HarperCollins in April 2022.
Amanda and Sarah will read from their work, discuss the similarities and differences in their approaches, and take questions from the audience.
Read more about Amanda and Sarah, and find links where you can buy their books, on our Northern Writers Reading page.

FoML AGM
2021-01-25 18:45 - 19:15 | West Yorkshire
The Annual General Meeting of the Friends of Marsden Library will be held via ZOOM at 6.45pm on Monday 25 January 2021.
We recommend you check you can access the meeting in advance, in case you have to download the Zoom app.
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://hudac.zoom.us/j/65999299325
Meeting ID: 659 9929 9325
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Everyone is welcome.

2021 Marsden Calendar On Sale Now
2020-10-26 - 2020-12-31 | West Yorkshire

How to be Human, with Ruby Wax (Online)
2020-10-13 19:30 - 21:30 | West Yorkshire

Showtime from the Frontline - a Mark Thomas Lockdown Livestream
2020-06-09 19:30 - 22:00 | West Yorkshire
Another great show from Mark Thomas. It’s a fiver – click on the image and help out the Mechanics!

Buy Tickets

2020 Marsden Calendar Competition
2020-05-15 - 2020-07-31 | West Yorkshire

Mark Thomas Bravo Figaro!
2020-05-14 19:30 - 21:00 | West Yorkshire
A share of tickets bought will support Marsden Mechanics Hall

CANCELLED Workshop: Creating a Story from your Family History (HLF 2020)
2020-03-28 15:30 - 17:30 | Marsden Library, Marsden Mechanics Hall, Peel Street, Marsden, West Yorkshire, HD7 6BW, United Kingdom
This Event has been cancelled:
In light of the increasing threat of the Coronavirus outbreak, it is with great sadness that we announce that this year’s Huddersfield Literature Festival is cancelled.
Although we were able to run several successful pre-Festival events, we feel that we have to take this global pandemic seriously for the sake of our authors, performers, audiences, Festival team and volunteers.
We will be making announcements about one or two events that we feel can potentially be rescheduled in the Autumn in due course. Ticket holders for other paid-for events will be issued with refunds as soon as possible. We would ask audiences to bear with us as we manage this process.
As you can imagine, the Festival team are devastated to be in this position after all our hard work and planning, especially as we hoped to be able to support authors, performers, booksellers and suppliers again through our events this year.
On behalf of myself and the Festival team, I’d like to thank you for your understanding at this difficult time and to send our hope that you will stay safe.
Michelle
Michelle Hodgson
Festival Director

Join local writer, Chris Longden, for a workshop on ‘Creating a Story From Your Family History‘. Chris will be talking about her own work and guiding those who want to write about their own family.
Save the Date, we’ll let you know when tickets are on sale.

CANCELLED: Simon Armitage Live Screening in Marsden Library
2020-03-20 19:30 - 21:00 | Marsden Library, Marsden Mechanics Hall, Peel Street, Marsden, West Yorkshire, HD7 6BW, United Kingdom
This event has been cancelled.

Simon Armitage writes “With great sadness and reluctance I’m sorry to announce that I am postponing my tour of libraries for the week 16 – 21 March 2020. I have arrived at this decision after seeing so many other events being put on hold or cancelled, and I feel the only logical and sensible decision is to do the same. The week would have involved meeting upward of a thousand people and travelling around England, Scotland and Northern Ireland on public transport; as well as needing to look after myself and my family I need to think responsibly about audiences, staff at the venues, fellow poets and everyone else connected with the tour. Hopefully these events will be rescheduled once the world is a calmer and clearer place. In the meantime, my thanks and sincere apologies to all the wonderful libraries and librarians of Britain who had been working so hard to make this happen. We are hoping to reschedule this event.

Live Screening from the British Library

Using the alphabet as a guide, each spring for the next decade Simon Armitage will give readings across the UK, from the flagship libraries of the big cities to smaller libraries serving rural and remote communities. It’s a journey that involves local poets and students, and celebrates the library as one of the great and necessary institutions of human civilisation.
Friday March 20th, 7.30 – 9.00, Marsden Library, FREE, BOOKING ESSENTIAL
Full Details and Tickets
Laureate’s Library Tour

Annual General Meeting
2019-11-25 18:45 - 20:15 | Marsden Library, Marsden Mechanics Hall, Peel Street, Marsden, West Yorkshire, HD7 6BW, United Kingdom
Friends of Marsden Library Annual General Meeting
The Annual General Meeting of the Friends of Marsden Library will be held in the Library at 6.45pm on Monday 25 November 2019.
AGENDA

Apologies for absence
Minutes of the 2018 AGM and Matters arising
Trustee’s report
Statement of accounts
Appointment of trustees

Trustees’ Report
Statement of Accounts

Mark Thomas: 50 Things About Us
2019-11-06 19:30 - 22:30 | Marsden Mechanics, HD7 6BW
In his new show 50 Things About Us Mark Thomas combines his trademark mix of storytelling, standup, mischief and really, really well researched material to examine how we have come to inhabit this divided wasteland that some of us call the United Kingdom.
Mark picks through the myths, facts and figures of our national identities to ask who do we think we are?
Age restriction – recommended age 14+ (parents’ judgement)
Doors and bar open 19.30 for 20.00 start

Marsden Calendar 2020 On Sale Now
2019-10-23 08:00 - 2019-12-31 17:00 | West Yorkshire

Dementia Awareness Briefing
2019-09-11 19:00 | Marsden Mechanics, Upstairs, Peel Street, Marsden, HD76BW

The Lost Words Story Walk
2019-07-09 08:00 - 17:00 | Marsden Library, Marsden Mechanics Hall, Peel Street, Marsden, West Yorkshire, HD7 6BW, United Kingdom
The Lost Words is a joyful celebration of nature words and the natural world they invoke. The wonderful hand-painted illustrations are our inspiration for these delightful storywalks. Along the way we will be stopping to share poems and sketch or photograph the things we find.
Recommended for families with children aged 6+
Marsden Library
Friday 16th August, 2pm
Booking required: www.ticketsource.co.uk/kirkleeslibraries

Tree Walk and Family Quiz
2019-06-23 14:00 - 16:00 | Marsden Mechanics, HD7 6BW

Spinning a Yarn - Writing Workshop with Kate Fox
2019-06-15 10:00 - 11:30 | Marsden Library, Marsden Mechanics Hall, Peel Street, Marsden, West Yorkshire, HD7 6BW, United Kingdom
Take part in a writing workshop with stand up poet and Radio 4 favourite, Kate Fox. Using similes of thread & weaving to look at the impact of women in our lives.
Open to writers at all levels including absolute beginners.
Tickets are Free. Limited places, booking essential. There is a £1 charge for posting, no charge for e-tickets.

And don’t miss Kate Fox at Marsden Mechanics Hall on Friday 14 June, Where There’s Muck, There’s Bras is a funny and thought provoking show of stand up storytelling and spoken word about Northern women you’ve heard of-and ones you haven’t. From Hylda Baker to Helen Sharman, Betty Boothroyd to Mother Shipton, these legendary women tell us their stories. By Stand up poet and Radio 4 regular Kate Fox.

Acoustic Night - Happy Fish
2019-06-14 19:30 - 21:00 | West Yorkshire
Local band Happy Fish play heart ‘n’ feet dance songs and old soul blues. They use a variety of voices, squeezebox, guitar, percussion and double bass.
Come along and get those feet tapping!
Doors and bottle bar from 7pm, music from 7.30pm.
As ever, this is a pay as you feel event, with the proceeds being split between the Mechanics Hall and the performers.

Trees in Mind: Free Creative Workshop
2019-05-15 14:00 - 16:00 | Marsden Library, Marsden Mechanics Hall, Peel Street, Marsden, West Yorkshire, HD7 6BW, United Kingdom
Join poet Gaia Holmes to explore words – spoken and written – based on lives from WW1 solders from our area.
The workshop at Marsden Library will be delivered by Gaia Holmes, a Luddenden-born poet whose work digs beneath the surface of mundane, urban life to reveal a remarkable seam of exoticism. Her carnival of characters – bingo callers, burger sellers, critical theorists – are all cast from the least expected places but, rejuvenated by Gaia’s verse, find a new voice and a new ability to captivate. She is also a creative writing tutor who works with schools, libraries and other community groups throughout the West Yorkshire region

Trees In Mind project is offering a series of creative writing workshops across the Colne Valley to immortalise the journey of the valley during World War One. From individual stories on the front to the women’s suffrage in the mills, all aspects of life and death in the Valley will be brought back to life through storytelling, poetry and spoken word.
Each workshop will produce a short text based piece to commemorate an aspect of life in the valley or trenches from 1914 to 18. These will create a series of enamel plaques marking the way of a new walk linking the war memorials in the valley to a newly planted oak woodland in Marsden. Each oak represents a soldier who gave his life in the war and each copse of trees represents a memorial. Come along and be part of a workshop that will take our past into our future, creating a permanent personal and historical legacy from all those who take part.

FREE, book online.

See Your Photo in the Marsden Calendar 2020
2019-04-20 09:00 - 2019-07-01 00:00 | West Yorkshire
The 2019 Calendar Competition opens on 20th April.
Funds from selling the calendars produced go to Friends of Marsden Library to support our local library with events, awareness raising and volunteer support. The calendar raised more than £2,000 this year, and we can’t do it without you.
NEW for the 2019 Competition: we are introducing a youth category. Contestants aged 18 or under will be considered in a separate category, so please encourage entries from any young people you know.
The judges are looking for interesting pictures that capture the spirit of Marsden and the Colne Valley. You don’t have to be a professional – everyone’s in with a chance.
And if you have pictures featuring people that might well increase your chances of winning, as we have far more submissions of scenery than we do of people.
Don’t forget to make sure your picture is in the horizontal format. Vertical pictures don’t work on the calendar.
Visit the Calendar Competition Website – Competition will Open on 20th April
You’ve got until midnight on 30th June – Good Luck!

Author Event: D. R. Dixon Reading from Wired Thoughts
2019-04-03 19:30 - 20:30 | Marsden Library, Marsden Mechanics Hall, Peel Street, Marsden, West Yorkshire, HD7 6BW, United Kingdom
D. R. Dixon doesn’t know how he got to where he is now as actually his biggest interest was music. He thinks he must have made a wrong turn somewhere but as it is he is very happy that he did; he says it’s not until he started writing that he really found out about the power of the human imagination and that our true calling can be hidden from ourselves, never mind anyone else.
The result is his book ‘Wired Thoughts’: Stories of everyday life told in their most explicit form touching on the warmest and brightest side of human nature as well as the most darkest and sinister. This book asks the questions, but only you have the answers …
Doors Open at 7.00, Event 7.30 – 8.30. Suggested Donation £2.

Julian Norton: The Yorkshire Vet
2019-03-29 19:00 - 21:00 | Marsden Mechanics, Upstairs, Peel Street, Marsden, HD76BW
Known across the UK from the popular Channel 5 series The Yorkshire Vet, Julian Norton talks about the drama and humour of his experiences as a rural vet, first at James Herriot’s old practice in Thirsk and now in the market town of Boroughbridge.
His new book The Diary of a Yorkshire Vet, features many entertaining stories about everything from hairy pigs near Helmsley to a bullock with an enormous eye, all from his popular column in the Yorkshire Post.
Friday 29th March
Marsden Mechanics Hall
Doors 6.30, Event 7.00 – 9.00, including short interval
Refreshments Available

Tickets £5/£3 from Marsden Library or Huddersfield Literature Festival
