Patterson Aids Flooded U.K. Bookshops

Shelf Awareness

The James Patterson fund will donate £5,000 (about $7,260) grants to a pair of U.K. bookshops that suffered flood damage during Storm Desmond in early December, the Bookseller reported. The recipients are the Book Case in Hebden Bridge, which experienced significant flooding, and the New Bookshop in Cockermouth, which was "completely wiped out."

The Booksellers Association's Meryl Halls, who helped to facilitate the grants, said the money would be used "to help with their refurbishment, and get their kids sections back up and running and looking better than ever.... I know there has been a lot of support flowing towards the shops, and let's hope it continues--there's not a much worse combination than books and water, and we really admire the resilience of both bookshops, who are planning to refurbish and reopen despite the devastation they've suffered."

In a heartfelt Facebook post, the Book Case expressed gratitude to its many supporters, noting: "Our enormous thanks to Meryl Halls at the Booksellers Association for organizing this for us, and to the grant fund who are arranging this to be paid speedily and with minimal paperwork. And of course to the great man, James Patterson himself!... We have been overwhelmed by the support we have received since Boxing Day from all sections of the book trade."