SUPPORT your local bookseller is the message this Bookshop Day.

Launched in 2016, retailers, writers, publishers and illustrators come together to encourage people to purchase books from shops on the high street.

Bookshop Day is run by the Booksellers Association and is part of the campaign Books Are My Bag, celebrating bookshops in the UK and Ireland.

Owner of Brendon Books in Taunton, Lionel Ward, said: "I think the importance of Bookshop Day is that it gives a national focus to High Street bookshops and, hopefully, particularly to independent bookshops.

"Our experience of lockdown was there was a great deal of goodwill and expressions of support for our independent bookshop which we hope will continue now that the situation is easing.

"I am told that when moving house to a new town, top of the list of local shopping requirements is the presence of an independent bookshop.

"In the 32 years myself and my wife Jo have been running the bookshop, we feel that we really have become part of the local community and in 2014 we became a Community Interest Company (non profit making)."

The Bath Place bookshop founded the Taunton Literary festival eleven years ago, now celebrating its tenth year bringing top national, local and regional authors to talk about their books.

This week they play host to three consecutive days of talks from authors covering some quintessentially Somerset subjects - cricket, cider and railways.

Lionel said: "We also have many more talks in the coming weeks as part of an extended literary festival.

"We have it all covered: fiction, poetry, politics, biography, science, nature, cricket, cider, railways, and comedy.

"One particular highlight is the planned attendance of 100 year old D-Day hero Jim Booth at the talk on the Special Boat Service. He was interviewed for the book by author Saul David."

For further information on all the events or to book, visit ticketsource.co.uk/brendonbooks, call 01823 337742 stop by at the shop.