Become a Friend of

Featherston Booktown

Recognised as a Charitable Trust, Featherston Booktown continues to achieve significant milestones each year, bringing the importance of reading, writing and discussion to the fore. 

We are now inviting community members to become an official ‘Friend of Featherston Booktown 2021’ in return for a tax deductible donation. 

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Friends of Featherston Booktown 2020 & 2021

Adrienne Staples • Alan Duff • Alan Wendt • Ali Ward of Rawdons • Andrew Morrison & Deborah Barratt • Andrew Wright • Anne Hannah & Darrin Goulding • Anne Hynds & Derek McCluskie • Bavarianz Limited • Bobby-Joe Wilson & Brian King • Bowen Galleries • Christine and David Kernohan • Christopher Finlayson • Craig Linkhorn • David & Jenny Hedley of Hedley's Bookshop • Don and Carol Duffy • D Borshcheva • EJ Fitzmaurice • Elizabeth Patchett & John Taber • Ella & Felix Hallwass • Emma McCleary of Emma Makes • Ernst & Virginia Kunz – Underhill Cottage • Finom Limited • Flora’s Kitchen • Garrick Emms & Marguerite Tait-Jamieson • Graham & Liz Mellish MNZM • Gerald Hensley CNZM • GJ & R Burnard • Greytown Honey • Jane Keig • JL & LJ Adler • Joanna and Julian Ludbrook • John Broeren • John McKinney • Jules Le Loir • Julie Lewis • Karen Commons of The Le Vailla • Leigh Catley and Stephen Morris • Linda Clark • Lisa Adler • Liz Fitzmaurice • Lydia Wevers ONZM • Margie and Fraser Donald • Margie Sharpe • Martinborough Jelly Company • May McLeod • Megan Campbell • Millie Blackwell of Mrs Blackwell’s Village Bookshop • Nicholas Biggs • Nik Rilkoff • Olivo Limited • Paora Ammunsen • Paul & Mary Mason • Pete Roberts • Peter Biggs • Peter Whiteford • Ra Smith • Richard and Sue Byrne • Richard Langston • Robyn Cornford • Romain Busby • Russell & Suzanne Pearless • Scilla Askew and Robert • Sharleen Forbes • Steve Laurence • Sue Lazarus • Susan Hooper • Susan Ryan of Mr Feather’s Den • Tauherenikau Racecourse • Te Maire Tau • The Country Cooking School • Underhill Honey • Wairarapa Eggs • Wildchixs Muesli

A surprising fact is that our Friends are not just bookworms! Friends of Featherston Booktown come in all shapes and sizes, with different interests from rugby to cooking and roller derby to ballet and varied vocations from home-makers to dog-walkers and lawyers to public servants and everything in between.  Despite the differences, they all share one commonality, to be part of something bigger, contributing to the local community and engaging young people in something positive. 

Our driving purpose is to position Featherston, the gateway to the Wairarapa, as a world-famous, prosperous and innovative destination for lovers of books and literature. Encouraging people - children and adults alike - to not just open a book, but to love reading or be inspired to put pen to paper and write; to provoke creativity and the broadening of the mind to drive fulfilment and happiness.   

Each year, in addition to the Featherston Booktown weekend in May, we stage many events, gathering together our nation’s most acclaimed writers and thinkers spanning many genres to share their experiences and engage young and old.   

Featherston in recent years has evolved into a haven for writers and those who enjoy the romance of searching for that next read in an eclectic selection of bookshops dotted around the town. Bookshops engulf the senses, whether it be the smell of an antique bookshop and the aged pages within the covers that decorate the shelves, the visual allure of a new release cover and the charm of meeting the author that draws one in or an interaction with the bookstore owner to help you uncover a treasure with their inside knowledge.