Writers, readers, the store's owners  -- all 273 of them! -- and people who simply want to buy a good book at a fair price are invited to celebrate the town's success in keeping its bookshop in business.

Invitations have gone out to the Community Bookshop's Patrons Michael Morpurgo, Babette Cole, Mal Peet and William Trevor. They won't all be able to come, but we know you'll have a chance to meet one or two of them, and another writer or three.

The opening ceremony will be performed at 11.00 a.m. by writers together with our favourite readers, children and young people. The Bookshop puts children and young people at the centre of its plans, so we are starting as we mean to go on. There will be story-telling during the morning.

We are making it worthwhile for adults to come too, with 10% off everything in the shop, so everyone can celebrate our launch. With a raffle as well - prizes of tokens for people of all ages to spend in the shop - a few people will go away particularly happy, we think.

Oh, and please don't forget that we are still looking for volunteers to help in the shop and generally. Or that we have a large stock of shares still on offer, still at the extremely reasonable price of £20 each. Do pass the word on. 

We do hope you will be able to come and join us on 5 October at some point between 10.00 and 1.00 p.m. to enjoy the moment, and start thinking about all the possibilities for the future.