THE Town Reeve of Bungay is planning to support the town’s historic Fisher Theatre with a novel and ambitious readathon which he is calling on the whole town to support.
Terry Reeve is getting together a team of people to read, out loud, all seven Harry Potter novels over a four-week period in the autumn in the Great Harry Potter Reading Marathon.
His aim is to recruit at least 100 people who can each raise £100 in sponsorship to take part in the event at the theatre, starting on October 28.
If successful, the marathon will raise £10,000 to help keep the theatre viable.
“The theatre is a great asset to Bungay but like all small provincial theatres it struggles to survive financially and we must try to ensure its future viability,” Mr Reeve said.
“I hit on the idea of a sponsored reading marathon, and with the early copies of J K Rowling’s popular Harry Potter novels printed in Bungay at Clay’s they seemed the ideal books to choose for this challenge.
“There will be hundreds of people in Bungay and district who are Harry Potter fans and would enjoy taking part in this challenge. I’m keen for people of all ages to be involved.
“It will be a logistical challenge to draw up a rota to cover the 124 hours of reading involved, but it should be fun and if readers want to dress up in Harry Potter costumes to read, so much the better.”
Over the 120 hours of reading planned - five hours a day, six days a week over four weeks – 3407 pages and 1,100,086 words will be read as the seven novels unfold.
Mr Reeve said people would be asked to read no more than half an hour at a time, but many, he hoped, would be happy to do that two or three times over the four weeks.
The theatre’s operations manager Cathy Edwards-Gill said: “We are thrilled to support this fantastic enterprise, which we hope will bring in much needed funds to help us continue to provide wonderful entertainment throughout the year. It will be a huge challenge! But do sign up and come and have fun reading some of the most exciting and well-loved adventures of modern times.
“We are very grateful to Terry for masterminding this epic readathon… and we hope to see you in October!”
Forms to take part in the reading marathon, and sponsor forms, will be available shortly at the Fisher Theatre or from the Town Reeve. If anyone would like to know more about the event they can contact him on email: terry.reeve19@btinternet.com or on 01986 896416.
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