EVERYONE is said to have at least one book in them and there’s a new generation of young writers out there itching to get started.

The popular view is that perhaps not as many children are as interested these days in the written word. But the Mrs Sunderland Festival seems to have found many who are.

It decided to run a new class to get children interested in writing, in story-telling, in using their imaginations.

And oh how it has worked.

The organisers have been inundated with entries. Over 100 children under the age of 11 have sent in their stories on the theme of Lost.

Acclaimed children’s author Emily Diamand set the first paragraph and the young writers then set to work to complete the story.

Emily will be coming to Huddersfield to run a workshop during this year’s festival which runs from February 17 to 25.

On February 21 Emily will run a writing workshop in the Old Court Room at Huddersfield Town Hall.

She will discuss the winning entries and then run a story writing class. The event has proved so popular that it is already fully booked.

But first, Emily has another job on her hands. She is currently working her way through all the entries – and that’s quite a lot of great stories to read.

Huddersfield Library staff are backing the event and a selection of the entries will be on display in the library following the festival. Sponsorship for the workshops has been given by Syngenta.

And workshops are becoming a notable feature of the festival.

It is good to see such a long established festival tuning in to new ways of engaging with a new generation and some of its new introductions in recent years are doing just that.

Last year, the festival and Kirklees Learning Services both supported Huddersfield Choral Society on a huge project to get children fired up about singing.

The Choral wanted to celebrate its 175th anniversary by sharing its love of singing and they did just that with some memorable workshops which packed the town hall with children singing and having fun.

Now the Mrs Sunderland is running more, building on that huge success story.

About 700 junior school children will pour into the town hall’s concert space on Wednesday, February 22 (9.45am) for a singing workshop.

Sally Egan will lead the session and the children are in for lots of excitement as the University Big Band and the University Chamber Choir will also be involved.

Joseph Cullen, chorusmaster of Huddersfield Choral Society, will be joining them to play the Father Willis organ and to join in the fun!

Organisers say there will be balcony seats on sale (£4 in advance or £5 on the day) from the festival ticket desk from the start of the Mrs Sunderland. It’s a wonderful opportunity to hear so many children making music.

Later that same day, (February 22) there’s a world drumming class which starts at 6.30pm. And if, like many people, you find yourself carried away by the sounds and beats of the drummers, you’ll get a chance to join in at the end of the class.

This year’s festival also includes new classes for novice choirs and for junior novice singing groups.

Nine groups are expected to take place in these events which are on the afternoon and evening of February 24.

These classes too are followed by a workshop. So this year’s festival certainly offers great opportunities to get involved.

The festival’s final event will be held on Saturday, February 25 (7pm) at the Town Hall in the form of a celebratory concert for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

This will feature the winner of the Kirklees Young Musician of the year, outstanding performances from the week’s classes plus the choir prize winners’ Challenge.

The compere will be Geoff Druett.

The festival as ever offers piano, vocal, choral and instrumental classses as well as those for speech and drama, poetry and story writing

The Kirklees Young Musician of the Year contest, one of the highlights of the festival runs in advance of the rest of the classes on February 12.

It is at St Paul’s Hall starting at 2pm and the adjudicator is Christina Thomson. More on that next week.

Visitors are welcomed at any of the sessions during the week.

Tickets are available for all sessions from the ticket desk in the Town Hall. Refreshments are available throughout the day.

So why not pop in and listen for a while? You will be cheered by the wealth of talent in the town.

Choral Society.pair of big workshops for young singers and produced two of the ’s This year’s festival, which runs in Huddersfield from the festivalway of disproving 2012 17- 25 February

This year will see a number of new classes and following the success of the Sing –up workshop in 2011 we are holding three more 2012.

On Tuesday 21 February at 9.45 am the highly acclaimed children’s author – Emily Diamand will be holding a story writing workshop in Huddersfield Town Hall (The Old Court Room)

Over 100 children under the age of 11 have submitted stories on the theme of "LOST" EmilyAt this workshop Emily will

We are fortunate to have the support of

A singing workshop for 700 junior school children will be held on Wednesday 22 February at 9.45 in the Concert Hall.

are new this year. Some 9 groups will take part on the afternoon and evening of Friday 24th of February. Desk. Again, a workshop will be held following the class.