A Christian bookshop in Dereham has been declared one of 20 “Bookshop Champions” by the Booksellers Association as part of this year’s Independent Bookshop Week.
Green Pastures is believed to be the only specialist Christian bookseller in Norfolk and Suffolk. The shop also has the distinction of winning last year’s national “Best Christian Bookshop” award.
The Booksellers Association said that an open submission process among its members had taken place to select its 20 champions. The champions are intended to showcase the breadth and depth of independent bookshops and the “shared values and strengths that underpin the sector”.
This year’s Independent Bookshop Week is due to take place from 13-20 June and will be the 20th anniversary of the celebration. To mark the event a poem will be composed by author Matt Goodfellow.
Helen Cockburn of Green Pastures said, “Our bookshop in Dereham is a place of joy for our community. It has become rather like a bookish living room for some of our customers. People drop in and relax. A welcome smile awaits with the offer of a free coffee/tea and a friendly chat. We want people to come in, browse books, and even listen to a story at our listening station in a comfy corner of the shop.
“Please support us during Indie Bookshop Week. We want more people to enjoy reading good books, so give us a shout of encouragement on our socials and drop in. It makes all the difference. “
Emma Bradshaw, Head of Marketing and Communications at the Booksellers Association, commented, “We’re honoured to announce Green Pastures as one of our Bookshop Champions, following an open submission process across our membership. The quality of entries made the selection incredibly challenging, and the final selection beautifully reflects the variety, creativity and value independent bookshop bring to readers of all ages.
“We cannot wait to see the fantastic work they do be an integral part of our celebrations.”
