The Welsh Borders reflect the best of Wales and the best of England, and form a unique blend of communities. We've known that for eons of course, but for the unelightened The Books Council of Wales are seeking to promote the area through publishing.

For an arguably sleepy part of the world, there's actually a flourishing publishing industry on the Borders and the Council are eager for people living here to benefit from its creative endeavours, in both languages. And given they're a not-for-profit organisation, any money raised through their services is invested back into the sector.

Publishers here are made up of micro-enterprises and sole traders, and the Books Council use their expertise to act as a conduit for cross-sectoral connections as well as sharing the wider cultural and economic context where relevant, advocating for the value of the sector and demonstrating the contribution it makes. In essence, the main purpose is to support the entire book ecosystem which is embedded in the foundational economy of Wales and the Borders.

The Council supports bookshops throughout the Borders, including two in Oswestry, Shropshire: Siop Cwlwm, a Welsh language shop, and Booka. But there's a wealth of bookshops available in all communities. Book-ish in Crickhowell in Powys is a consistent award winner for example, and Rossiter Books, with shops in Ross-on-Wye, Monmouth and Leominster, have recently expanded to a new store in Cheltenham. Meanwhile, in south Shropshire, Burway Books in Church Stretton and Castle Bookshop in Ludlow are just a few of the shops who buy from the Books Council, which offers 40,000 titles and next-day delivery. 

Back in Powys, Verzon in Llandrindod Wells, Greak Oak Bookshop in Llanidloes and Eaves and Lord in Montgomery are just a few of the other bookshops which add so much to the community on the Welsh side of the Border.

But it's not all about shops. Wonderfully we also enjoy an abundance of good local libraries in Wales and the Borders, libraries which have expanded to provide e-books and audio books, as well as a large range of other services.

Ultimately The Books Council of Wales want a society where every one of us has found the right book, with the words that inspire, educate, heal or simply delight us. And where the people that make up this sector bring ideas to life and connect creativity with business to bring to us the many, multifaceted stories that resonate with us and reflect the communities where we live.

It's an ambition to cherish and support.

For more information about The Books Council of Wales, visit llyfrau.cymru