Pontefract Reads

Pontefract Reads We are a voluntary run initiative to share a love of reading. Our work incudes hosting book shares together with Banks Avenue Little Free Library.

Free books at:
Banks Avenue Little Free Library
St Mary's Community Centre
Pontefract Castle (official)
Make with B
The Old Quarry Adventure Playground - The Addy These book shares are run under the name ‘Pontefract Pop Up Library’. We mainly pop up at Friarwood Valley Gardens, but have also been to Pontefract Castle and St. Mary’s Community Centre, Chequerfield. We have met lots of like-mind

ed people and have been able to supply them with a mixture of books. We also run Toddler Tales sessions both indoors and out doors with storytime, activities and books to share. We have lots of ideas to help children learn to read.

"Noticing the seasons and wildlife is the very soft end of political engagement but we all have to start somewhere"The B...
16/05/2026

"Noticing the seasons and wildlife is the very soft end of political engagement but we all have to start somewhere"

The Book Fairies are sharing copies of Brave and Bold by Nell Frizzell at swimming spots and more across the UK today!

Who will be BRAVE enough to go looking, and BOLD enough to take one home from Friarwood Valley Gardens in Pontefract?

About the book:

For a century, the Ladies’ Pond on Hampstead Heath has welcomed women from every walk of life: artists and activists, swimmers and sunbathers, friends and free spirits. As Britain’s most famous female open-air swimming spot, a pocket of wildness tucked away in the middle of the city, it has long attracted adventurous swimmers from all over the UK and the wider world.
Brave and Bold celebrates one hundred years of this beloved London landmark through the rhythm of a single swimming year, from frozen Januarys to sun-drenched midsummers; through friendships, feminist activism and the exhilaration of open water.

Created in collaboration with the Kenwood Ladies’ Pond Association and rich with previously unseen archive material and new interviews – from Dolly Alderton and Amy Liptrot to lifelong swimmers of every era – this is far more than the story of one pond. It’s a story of community, women and wild water across a century of social and political change, from suffragettes to soap stars, war to liberation, and shared flasks of tea to acts of quiet rebellion.

"I will always dive in during Summer"The Book Fairies are sharing copies of Brave and Bold by Nell Frizzell at swimming ...
16/05/2026

"I will always dive in during Summer"

The Book Fairies are sharing copies of Brave and Bold by Nell Frizzell at swimming spots and more across the UK today!

Who will be BRAVE enough to go looking, and BOLD enough to take one home from near the stream in Friarwood Valley Gardens in Pontefract?

About the book:

For a century, the Ladies’ Pond on Hampstead Heath has welcomed women from every walk of life: artists and activists, swimmers and sunbathers, friends and free spirits. As Britain’s most famous female open-air swimming spot, a pocket of wildness tucked away in the middle of the city, it has long attracted adventurous swimmers from all over the UK and the wider world.
Brave and Bold celebrates one hundred years of this beloved London landmark through the rhythm of a single swimming year, from frozen Januarys to sun-drenched midsummers; through friendships, feminist activism and the exhilaration of open water.

Created in collaboration with the Kenwood Ladies’ Pond Association and rich with previously unseen archive material and new interviews – from Dolly Alderton and Amy Liptrot to lifelong swimmers of every era – this is far more than the story of one pond. It’s a story of community, women and wild water across a century of social and political change, from suffragettes to soap stars, war to liberation, and shared flasks of tea to acts of quiet rebellion.

"The pond is waiting as it always is"The Book Fairies are sharing copies of Brave and Bold by Nell Frizzell at swimming ...
16/05/2026

"The pond is waiting as it always is"

The Book Fairies are sharing copies of Brave and Bold by Nell Frizzell at swimming spots and more across the UK today!

Who will be BRAVE enough to go looking, and BOLD enough to take one home left near the swans and cygnets at Pontefract park pond?

About the book:

For a century, the Ladies’ Pond on Hampstead Heath has welcomed women from every walk of life: artists and activists, swimmers and sunbathers, friends and free spirits. As Britain’s most famous female open-air swimming spot, a pocket of wildness tucked away in the middle of the city, it has long attracted adventurous swimmers from all over the UK and the wider world.
Brave and Bold celebrates one hundred years of this beloved London landmark through the rhythm of a single swimming year, from frozen Januarys to sun-drenched midsummers; through friendships, feminist activism and the exhilaration of open water.

Created in collaboration with the Kenwood Ladies’ Pond Association and rich with previously unseen archive material and new interviews – from Dolly Alderton and Amy Liptrot to lifelong swimmers of every era – this is far more than the story of one pond. It’s a story of community, women and wild water across a century of social and political change, from suffragettes to soap stars, war to liberation, and shared flasks of tea to acts of quiet rebellion.

"I watched herons stalk the undergrowth and fish beneath my paddle and flowers brush against my ankles"The Book Fairies ...
16/05/2026

"I watched herons stalk the undergrowth and fish beneath my paddle and flowers brush against my ankles"

The Book Fairies are sharing copies of Brave and Bold by Nell Frizzell at swimming spots and more across the UK today!

Who will be BRAVE enough to go looking, and BOLD enough to take one home from near the geese and goslings at Pontefract Park pond?

About the book:

For a century, the Ladies’ Pond on Hampstead Heath has welcomed women from every walk of life: artists and activists, swimmers and sunbathers, friends and free spirits. As Britain’s most famous female open-air swimming spot, a pocket of wildness tucked away in the middle of the city, it has long attracted adventurous swimmers from all over the UK and the wider world.
Brave and Bold celebrates one hundred years of this beloved London landmark through the rhythm of a single swimming year, from frozen Januarys to sun-drenched midsummers; through friendships, feminist activism and the exhilaration of open water.

Created in collaboration with the Kenwood Ladies’ Pond Association and rich with previously unseen archive material and new interviews – from Dolly Alderton and Amy Liptrot to lifelong swimmers of every era – this is far more than the story of one pond. It’s a story of community, women and wild water across a century of social and political change, from suffragettes to soap stars, war to liberation, and shared flasks of tea to acts of quiet rebellion.

Keep an eye out around Pontefract, as the Book Fairies are sharing copies of Brave and Bold by Nell Frizzell at swimming...
16/05/2026

Keep an eye out around Pontefract, as the Book Fairies are sharing copies of Brave and Bold by Nell Frizzell at swimming spots and more across the UK today!

Who will be BRAVE enough to go looking, and BOLD enough to take one home?

About the book:

For a century, the Ladies’ Pond on Hampstead Heath has welcomed women from every walk of life: artists and activists, swimmers and sunbathers, friends and free spirits. As Britain’s most famous female open-air swimming spot, a pocket of wildness tucked away in the middle of the city, it has long attracted adventurous swimmers from all over the UK and the wider world.
Brave and Bold celebrates one hundred years of this beloved London landmark through the rhythm of a single swimming year, from frozen Januarys to sun-drenched midsummers; through friendships, feminist activism and the exhilaration of open water.

Created in collaboration with the Kenwood Ladies’ Pond Association and rich with previously unseen archive material and new interviews – from Dolly Alderton and Amy Liptrot to lifelong swimmers of every era – this is far more than the story of one pond. It’s a story of community, women and wild water across a century of social and political change, from suffragettes to soap stars, war to liberation, and shared flasks of tea to acts of quiet rebellion.

"The landscape rolls out ahead of me from this hilltop with wild abandon. In the distance, a great forest spreads like a...
08/05/2026

"The landscape rolls out ahead of me from this hilltop with wild abandon. In the distance, a great forest spreads like a carpet that I want to lie down on, its canopy moving in the breeze, shifting like a living thing."

Watch out! The Book Fairies are sharing copies of Storm Bringer by Tig Wallace across the UK today! Who will be lucky enough to spot one on the week of its release, with matching bookmark, up a tree in Friarwood Valley Gardens in Pontefract?

About the book:

Amelio’s world is divided by the Fault, a canyon separating him from Nimira, the storm-ravaged kingdom on the other side where magic is used freely. When Amelio’s storm chaser mother goes missing, he is forced across the Fault, joining a mission to locate the source of a leviathan storm. As magic stirs within him, Amelio must also contend with Paige, a wildcard with a thirst for chaos, and Vintane, a criminal with an agenda of his own.

The storm chase of a lifetime is underway and Amelio must unite warring provinces and confront his own destiny – before the most powerful storm ever seen destroys them all.

"I see something, a strange pink and purple light over the Fault. Suddenly, there is searing ice in my chest. My vision ...
08/05/2026

"I see something, a strange pink and purple light over the Fault. Suddenly, there is searing ice in my chest. My vision flickers. A fuzzy image, crashing lightning, rock and water, an intense pain. Then the world disappears."

Watch out! The Book Fairies are sharing copies of Storm Bringer by Tig Wallace across the UK today! Who will be lucky enough to spot one on the week of its release in the purple little free library at Banks Avenue in Pontefract?

About the book:

Amelio’s world is divided by the Fault, a canyon separating him from Nimira, the storm-ravaged kingdom on the other side where magic is used freely. When Amelio’s storm chaser mother goes missing, he is forced across the Fault, joining a mission to locate the source of a leviathan storm. As magic stirs within him, Amelio must also contend with Paige, a wildcard with a thirst for chaos, and Vintane, a criminal with an agenda of his own.

The storm chase of a lifetime is underway and Amelio must unite warring provinces and confront his own destiny – before the most powerful storm ever seen destroys them all.

"Devoted as Rabbit is to his garden, he's even more devoted to his friends. (Even when he seems frustrated.) Rabbit is a...
03/05/2026

"Devoted as Rabbit is to his garden, he's even more devoted to his friends. (Even when he seems frustrated.) Rabbit is always happy to share his home-grown goodness with Pooh and the rest, but surprising him with a vegetarian dish of your own can cheer him out of a cranky mood."

The Book Fairies are sharing copies of Winnie the Pooh: The Hundred-Acre Wood Cookbook across the UK today!

Who will be lucky enough to spot one at the free book case in the café at Pontefract Castle?

About the book:

Join all the characters of the Hundred Acre Wood for heartwarming recipes perfect for creating delicious memories in the kitchen. 

Inside, you’ll find plenty of dishes featuring honey, from character cupcakes and pastries to savory dishes like honey-roasted carrots. Speaking of carrots, if you’re looking for a healthier meal, you can browse a selection of extra-fresh recipes featuring produce fresh from Rabbit’s own garden! Having a gloomy day? There are a few recipes sure to cheer up any Eeyore. Or, if you’re out of energy, try a quick snack to refuel before an afternoon of bouncing. With fun facts from everyone’s favorite owl, Kanga’s tips for cooking with kids, and full-color character illustrations to accompany the recipe photos, there’s a bit of Hundred Acre Wood magic on every page.

03/05/2026

🍽️ Let’s Get Cooking – FREE 6‑Week Course🍽️
Ready to make mealtimes fun, healthy and stress‑free?

Join in on this practical, hands-on cooking sessions where you will explore the food we eat and learn how to prepare it with confidence.

You’ll pick up essential cooking skills, discover new recipes, and learn more about healthy ingredients – all in a friendly, supportive setting.

🗓 Thursdays | 7 May – 11 June
⏰ 6.00pm – 7.30pm
📍 St Mary’s Community Centre
💰 FREE

Perfect for beginners or anyone wanting to get back to basics.

Click the link for further details:
🔗https://www.wakefield.gov.uk/sport-and-leisure/healthy-living/aspire-health-referral/?utm_source=Leaflet&utm_medium=QR&utm_id=Launch&fbclid=IwY2xjawRWtRpleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETBEVnBmdzVOVUpkSmo1ckozc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHincmFO_kHCG8eD6sWJXXO7WARn4VaZt7uONHZa0L30kMuKeOQI2tM51WEfH_aem_fc2pwIrPmhZgI2nxFvEs2A

03/05/2026

Free cooking workshops 🍳

Learn how to shop smarter, plan meals, and cook on a budget—helpful skills as food prices keep rising.

📆Friday 8th & 22nd May 2026
⏰ 9.30 am – 10.30 am
📍 St Mary’s Community Centre, The Circle, Chequerfield, Pontefract WF8 2AY

🍲 Free to attend
🚨 No booking required

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