Delvin seeks 20,000 books for Midlands' largest book fair

Thousands of books are being sought for a book fair which fundraisers from the Delvin area hope will be the Midlands' biggest ever event of its type, it has been announced.The committee overseeing plans for a state-of-the-art sports centre in Delvin hope to net in the region of 20,000 books for the massive fair, which is being pencilled in for the May bank holiday weekend.Thousands of books have already been collected for the event, the funds from which will go towards the Delvin community's ambitious plans for a sports complex outside the village.The fair is likely to take place in the streets of Delvin, and the organisers hope to recruit support from book lovers in Delvin, Mullingar and the rest of Westmeath and the Midlands.Paul Carolan, one of the Delvin Sports and Leisure Centre (DSLC) volunteers, said that between six and seven thousand books have already been amassed, and the committee plans to create an unprecedented festival atmosphere in Delvin come the May bank holiday weekend."We're looking for all genres and types of books, and we hope to get support not just from the people of Delvin, but from across Westmeath and the Midlands," Paul said.Paul and his fellow DSLC volunteer, Michael Murphy appeal to the people of Westmeath to contact them should they have any unwanted books to donate, or if they are living in or passing through Delvin, to deposit them at collection points in local businesses.For more details, contact Paul Carolan on 087-7436776 or Michael Murphy on 087-9409913.