THE fourth Coleford Festival of Words sees the annual event progressing beyond words – and beyond Coleford.

The week-long event, with a particular focus on Forest of Dean culture, heritage and the battle to keep our woods in public hands.

Organiser Roger Drury said: "The Forest has lost many cultural events in the past few years and the festival gives us the chance to value what we have and celebrate.

"It's a chance for people to show how much they value our Forest.

"The range of events reflects how we define 'words' and how they flow through us – words don't have to be written down, they can be a visual thing, or a performance."

The festival starts this Sunday evening in Yorkley.

Yorkley – A Celebration In Words and Music coincides with the centenary of the tin Institute (now known as the Village Hall), but in a last-minute change of venue (due to licensing and various other issues) will be staged across the road at the Bailey Inn.

Historian Averil Kear, the spectre of poet FW Harvey and living verse-smith Dr Chris Nancollas, psycho-geographer David Adams, musician Dr Bob Swannack are among those charting decades of activities in the community-built hall.

From Monday to Thursday evenings, St John's The Evangelist Church in Coleford's Boxbush Road celebrates the 400th anniversary of the St James Bible, with readings, music and discussion.

Also on Monday, from 7.30pm, there will be a Green Man theatre workshop at the Kavern, at the back of the Angel Hotel.

Keith Morgan hosts a celebration of Forest dialect poetry at An Evening With The Forest Bards in Coleford Baptist Church, Newland Street. Current and past winners of Dean Forest Voice's annual Forest Faddle – Kathleen Smith, Maggie Clutterbuck, Kay Wozencroft, Marion Boey, Ann Osley, Annie Cavill and 2011's crowned bard Tim Gwilliam all perform from 7pm.

The Bards will be followed at 9pm with a launch of Chris Morris's new photographic book, Capturing the Forest on Camera.

From Thursday to Saturday morning, Clearwell village hall is where schoolchildren and other members of the community bring history to life in an exhibition, with poet Pete Wyton performing there at 1pm next Thursday.

Acclaimed five-clown circus troupe Le Navet Bete – hailed in the British Theatre Guide's five-star review as "absolutely and deliciously bonkers" – attempt to rewrite history with their performance of Napoleon: A Defence at Coleford Baptist Church next Friday at 5pm and 8pm (tickets cost £8, and £6 concessions).

Next Saturday, from noon to 2pm, they will lead a circus workshop at the Main Place and from 2pm to 5pm, going walkabout in the town, where activities include poetry and teen rockers Pandemick.

Meanwhile, at The George Café in Newnham, from 12.30pm, composer-pianist Lola Perrin will perform atmospheric pieces to accompany Joan Gabie's art exhibition.

Also next Saturday, at Coleford Baptist Church the all-day event Whose Forest? features films, a right-to-roam walk and history talk at Bircham Wood, an exhibition of the Hands Off Our Forest campaign, family workshops aimed at sending a message to the Independent Forestry Panel, with talks, films and music (from Max, Bob Smith and Dick Brice) upstairs in the church from historian Dave Rollison, green guru Jonathon Porritt and Baroness Jan Royall, culminating in a discussion on the way forward for the campaign.

For full details and tickets to the non-free events (average cost £3), call into the Forest Bookshop in Coleford, or call 01594 833334.