ShelterBox launches climate change book featuring Bryson, Cowell and Roffey

Global disaster relief organisation ShelterBox is launching a book about climate change this autumn, with contributions from 30 authors including Bill Bryson, Cressida Cowell, Monique Roffey and Chris Packham as part of its book club.

Titled Tamesis Street, it has been in development for more than a year. The story focuses on a set of core characters and their journey in response to an extreme weather event in London in 2050, emphasising the global impact of climate change.

Other famous contributing authors include Kit De Waal, Joanne Harris, Samira Ahmed, Michael Donkor, Balli Kaur Jaswal and Stig Abell. The book features a foreword by ShelterBox patron the Duchess of Cornwall. The cover is being designed by Sir Quentin Blake while Ugandan climate activist Vanessa Nakate provides the afterword.

Packham said: “I am delighted to be supporting the work of ShelterBox by being involved in this project alongside so many excellent writers. It was a unique writing process not knowing what each other had written and I know that the readers will enjoy this impactful short story that brings home the global impact of climate change.”

Catherine Thornhill from ShelterBox said: “We’ve seen significant growth of our book club subscribers over the last year, obviously with many people increasing their reading whilst being at home during the pandemic. With the UN Conference on Climate Change, COP26, taking place this autumn, we wanted to create a very special publication for our readers that shows climate change is a global issue, affecting us all. It’s been incredible to have so many brilliant authors participate in this project, as well as Sir Quentin Blake designing the cover, and we can’t wait for our members to receive their copy.”

The book will be launched on 7th October and will be available to existing subscribers, as well as new subscribers who activate their membership between 7th October and 26th January 2022.