A FUNDRAISING poetry evening to help create a community hub in a former library will be held at Ye Olde Murenger in Newport’s High Street at 7.30pm tonight.

Former Argus reporter Nigel Jarrett, poet and author of the critically-acclaimed short story collection Funderland, and poet Nicholas Whitehead will be reading at the open mic evening in aid of the Handpost Community Library Association.

The group’s aim is to restore the former Stow Hill library as a community facility, with regular workshops, sewing circles, film clubs and to invite authors to speak at the micro library. The event costs £5 to enter.

Previous readings have involved poets Peter Finch, Bernard Pearson, John Gimblett and Patrick Jones. The group has engaged an architect to draw up plans for a possible refurbishment of the building and would like any groups or organisations who would be interested in holding meetings/sessions to email them at handpostcla@gmail.com

The gig is organised by Alan Roderick of the Handpost Community Library Association to bring back the former Stow Hill Library, which was closed by Newport council last year.