THE finishing touches are being made for Millom’s first Norman Nicholson Festival this weekend.

This Saturday and Sunday event will celebrate the work of the town’s poet and most famous son, who lived in the same house in St George’s Terrace for his whole life, from 1914 to 1987.

The event by the Norman Nicholson Society has been supported by the Arts Council, Millom Town Council, and Millom CGP Trust, Poets, musicians, academics and people whosimply enjoy Nicholson’s down-to-earth writing will travel from Newcastle, Sheffield, Liverpool, Essex and South Wales to take part.

Millom and Copeland MP Trudy Harrison will also due to attend. Speakers are headed by award-winning poet Sean O’Brien, who wrote an entertaining article for the Times Literary Supplement last year, describing a pilgrimage to Millom to seek out Nicholson’s roots and the environment which inspired his work. 

He will speak about his affection for Nicholson at the opening event, to be held at Millom Network Centre, Salthouse Road, Millom, at 11.30 am on Saturday.

The festival will include a talk by Dr Andrew Frayn of Edinburgh Napier University, a specialist in English 20th century literature.

The festival also includes a presentation and workshop by the environmental photography and writing project Somewhere-Nowhere, a creative writing workshop, tours of Nicholson’s house, and guided walks to significant locations.

On Saturday evening contemporary Cumbrian poets will come together to read their work at ‘This Place WE Know,’ an evening of music and poetry at the Beggar’s Theatre, Millom, from 8pm.

They will be joined by guest poet Patrick Wright, contributing editor of Write Out and author of a new poetry collection,Shadows on the Ceiling, to be published by Eyewear this year.

‘This Place WE Know’ also features folk and blues duo The Demix. 

On Sunday at 9.30am Mr Nicholson will be remembered at a service at St George’s Church which has a magnificent stained glass window in his memory.

Chairman of the Norman Nicholson Society Charlie Lambert said: “This will be a wonderful gathering of people who admire Nicholson’s work and understand that his poetry is still so relevant today.

“Issues that he wrote about, such as the environment, community, and an individual’s sense of place, have become even more significant since he died”. All events are free except for the Saturday evening show at the Beggar’s Theatre. Advance booking needed. Full details at https://protect-eu.mimecast.com/s/Kh5SC4QrrsGv9KOiOGc88