Former Haverhill schoolboy and writer Jack Mackay returned to Ridgewell Primary School to open its new library

A young author returned to his former primary school to open its new library and share his own experiences of writing and joy it gives.

Jack Mackay, whose debut novel Gloam, a horror story for children, is to be published in a few months time by Curtis Brown, visited Ridgewell Primary School to cut the ribbon and officially open the new library.

The 21-year-old former student at Samuel Ward Academy in Haverhill, currently at university in York, was invited to open the resource after the school discovered he had been signed to a publisher. His mum still lives in Ridgewell.

The school’s headteacher, Kirsty Stuart, who taught Jack when he was a pupil there, said: “He’s just a gifted writer. He loved to write and he was one of those children that always had his head in a book.

“He was always writing and I think he just kept that going.

“To welcome Jack back to open it was just brilliant. The children were in awe.”

The school had never really had a dedicated library space, said Mrs Stuart, but about a year ago, after being donated 400 books through the World of Stories programme (which champions reading for pleasure in schools), the seed was planted for the creation of the library.

The shelving and table for the library cost in the region of £6,500 to £7,000, made possible thanks to the generosity of the village community (£2,500 alone was donated from the summer fair), the fund-raising of the Friends of Ridgewell School and a £1,000 locality budget grant from Essex county councillor Peter Schwier.

Comedian Tom Houghton even travelled up from London for a gig at the village hall and donated half the proceeds to the library fund.

Mrs Stuart added: “In terms of having a big project to get people behind, it worked really well.

“It’s reading for pleasure, that’s what we are trying to push, rather than just opening up your reading book.”