Rikki- The Book Fairies

Here is the first instalment of my interviews featuring people in and around Bath. This interview is with the lovely Rikki from The Book Fairies. The Book Fairies are an organisation based in Bath that distributes free books anonymously throughout the city. I contacted Rikki via their Instagram page.


Tell me a bit about yourself and your life in Bath?


So, I originally moved to Bath in September 2018 to start my Masters in Scriptwriting at Bath Spa University. I moved to Bristol in June 2019 but I spend my time back and forth between the two.

How do you feel about Bath as a city, are you fond of it? Are there elements of it you feel could do with improving? Do you feel it’s a good place to live?

Bath as a city is exactly what you see in the tourist brochures that advertise its quaint traditional feel, walk around the city and it doesn’t feel like much has changed or will change to ignite it to a vibrant, energetic place. I think as a person in my twenties, it’s not a city for me as I need more from the place that I live, but I can see its soothing nature would suit others.

What do you think of tourism in Bath? Especially for people who already live here.

Personally, tourism is a tough topic, living in central Southgate when the Christmas markets were on was absolute madness. Bath thrives on the influx of humans that come to visit its treasures, yet, I think it can be quite tiresome to have coach after coach show up and the flags wave, the cameras flash continuously. The tourism speaks to the vanity of the city, look how pretty the place we live is and it can be hard to appreciate it when this is the focal selling point. I think back to your earlier question of what could be done to improve the city, having more cultural events that don’t fulfil the standard expectations you see. Throwing Jane Austen parties with a modern twist would just breathe some fresh air into the events calendar.

Tell me more about book fairies, how did it start? What do you aim to achieve with it? How do you think it positively affects people? Why do you think more people should know about it?

Well, The Book Fairies started on International Women’s Day 2017 in New York led by Emma Watson and joined by fairies across the world. I got involved in Singapore and have been a fairy ever since. I had to take over the account in Bath because the local resident fairy there got sick, so it wasn’t feasible for her to continue. So, I took on the wings. But it would be wonderful if more humans got involved in Bath. With the amount of travelling I do, I never keep the books I read, unless they’ve been gifted to me or they are too special to leave behind. Being a fairy allows me to give back to the places I’ve been and hopefully give a smile to those who find something without expecting it, I hope to achieve those little magics that make humans feel good. In my experience, I’ve seen humans find a book and they look like they’ve found a treasure, it's very wonderful to witness, such a small thing can make a huge difference. The gift of reading can be shared, and fairies get to do that with a little kindness.

Do you think it’s important for tourists/people visiting Bath to see and visit smaller businesses and organisations as well as the mainstream attractions?

Absolutely, I am an avid supporter of local businesses and I think they have more charm than the chains that people can get drawn into! There’s a whole lot more to Bath than The Pump Room!

What do you think makes any city great? What makes it special beyond its buildings and its landmarks?

Such a good question, I think for me it’s the rivers that can make a place. If you follow along the canals and away from the “mainstream” you get to see the other side of the penny, it really does depend on the human but any city that can make you feel excited and curious is a city to be in.
I think the further you go out of Bath, it becomes another place entirely, partly because not many tourists venture outside the Big Bus circle. Salisbury Hill is a great place to walk up and see the city from another side.

Are there any elements or aspects of Bath that you wish more people knew about? What are your favourite spots and places around the city and why?

I could name a top ten not in the tourist book!
Here’s my top 3.
The Little Theatre Cinema. I am a film fan and the first thing I did when I got to Bath was scope what cinemas there were and I found this treasure and I still return just to catch a movie and a pint at The Grape when I can.
Salisbury Hill. There’s a song about it and I was curious, so I took a walk there and it didn’t disappoint. When you need to escape the mini bustle Bath has, head to Bathampton and listen to Peter Gabriel.
Bath River Walking Trail. There’re a few options depending which way you head! But this is perfect on the days when the skies are blue, and the weather is right. I’ve just seen they’ve added a new trail that I’ll have to do some Book Fairy drops to – Poetry Trail.