THE Oxfam Bookshop in Tavistock has been busy recently with a two-week Bookfest to raise money to buy a library in a needy area. It was successful in raising the £429 needed to buy a library in an area where Oxfam works and where education services are needed.

Fundraising events during Bookfest included a Local Knowledge Quiz, tours of St Eustachius Church and an instant prize raffle held in the shop. All the prizes for the raffle were donated by the local community, many shops and restaurants offering gifts and vouchers.

The raffle was organised almost single-handedly by volunteer Lorraine d'Arcy.

Bookshop manager Val Sharpe said: 'The fortnight has been a really interesting and really successful for the shop. We have made many links with others who have contributed to Bookfest; the local historians and Devon Wildlife Trust who helped with the Quiz, to Joan Torvell who conducted the tours of the church, the Tavistock Museum who provided old photos of Tavistock for our window and all those who so generously donated prizes, all the volunteers at the Booskhop and all the customers who have been so generous.

'Oxfam owes particular thanks to a few individuals, one is Lorraine who worked tirelessly to make the raffle the success it was, the other is Helen Harris, who gave us a magnificent donation of books of Devon Parishes published by Halsgrove. Some of the books have been valued up to £80 individually, a truly generous donation.'

Looking ahead, the main focus for Oxfam in Tavistock is to raise funds for East Africa. Oxfam and a number of other charities, which are members of the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), have combined to launch a joint appeal for East Africa in response to the disaster unfolding in the Horn of Africa. Donations can be made in both Oxfam shops.

There will be a 'Buskfest' event in the main Oxfam shop in West Street this Saturday, when local musicians will entertain and also a vinyl cleaning service.