POETS, authors and speechwriters have signed up to take part in Abergavenny’s first writing festival.

The Abergavenny Writing Festival, which runs over three days next week aims to bring people of all ages and backgrounds together to swap ideas and get writing.

The event, which takes place at the Kings Arms Hotel, will feature workshops, talks, walks and performances. Guest speakers and contributors include Countryfile editor Fergus Collins, who will be giving his tips on how to get published, Wales’ young poet Laureate Sophie McKeand who will run a children’s poetry workshop and led a poetry open mic session.

They will be joined by journalist, sports commentator and former Welsh Rugby union player Eddie Butler, poet and songwriter Paul Henry and writer and broadcaster Robert Penn who is the author of ‘The Man Who Made Things Out of Trees.’

Forager Adele Nozedar, the author of bestselling book ‘The Garden Forager’ will lead a taster forage around Abergavenny, taking in both wild plants and ‘tame’ ones. Her ‘Foraging talk and walk’ will start and finish at the Kings Arms Hotel at 11.30am on April 22.

There are also chances for children to get involved with a wild tots imagination workshop for those aged up to seven years-old. Wild Mapping with Wild Tots provides a chance for children to explore and enjoy outdoor spaces together.

The event takes place at Linda Vista Gardens between 10.30am and midday on April 23.

Festival organiser Lucie Parkin said: “Writing is for everyone. Young or old, published author or hasty scribbler, we all need to write in order to communicate information, tell stories and express ourselves.”

“The Aber Writing Fest is for writers, not just readers. Its aim is to get people to together to swap ideas, share stories and put pen to paper. We want to involve the whole community and create a diverse event that will really capture the town’s imagination.”

The festival takes place between April 21 and 23.

For tickets and information visit www.abergavennywritingfestival.com.