The first IWD was on 8th March 1911 I was quite surprised that it goes that far back. The purpose of International Women's Day is to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women while raising awareness of gender equality. A novel set in the 1940 gives us an insight into gender equality then I’ve just read the novel, A Town Like Alice, which Neville Shute wrote in 1950. This story highlights the inequality that women faced during the 1940s. Jean Paget is living...

by Clare Chambers A quirky childhood for Esther Fairchild This is a beautifully written novel which tells the story of Esther Fairchild who has a quirky childhood in the 1970s, living in a rundown old schoolhouse where nothing quite works as it should. Electricity is not always on, the boiler is called 'The Beast' due to it's unreliability and most things in the house are in need of repair. Her father is a chaplain for a local prison and her mother doesn’t earn much doing odd jobs. What...

The benefits of reading fiction are far-reaching and, frankly, amazing. Getting lost in a good story isn’t just enjoyable—it’s good for your mind, your mood, and your emotional wellbeing. People who read fiction regularly escape to other worlds, cultures, and time periods. That mental journey helps us feel more relaxed, less stressed, and often happier overall. Stories allow us to step into other people’s shoes, strengthening our empathy and understanding of different emotions and...