Vera writer Ann Cleeves and Brenda Blethyn's costume are star attractions in Newcastle
Vera fans were in for a treat on Friday night having snapped up the chance of an after-hours visit to a city attraction to hear from author Ann Cleeves and have a close-up look at that famous hat and mac combo that was the defining image of her much-loved detective. As previously reported, the creator of Vera was part of a Wonder Women event at Discovery Museum inspired by International Women’s Day.And another draw was Vera's costume, worn by Brenda Blethyn who played the character in the long-running ITV series which Cleeves' books inspired. The event marked its first ever public display.The special evening was also the latest in a series of Discovery Nights: after-hours events at the city museum which invite visitors to explore its galleries, enjoy a range of drop-in activities and generally socialise with others over a few drinks at a pop-up bar. The double Vera treat was a highlight of the Wonder Woman-theme evening and, ahead of International Woman's Day this Sunday, is was a celebration of women connected to the North East, both past and present.Guests enjoyed a short reading from award-winning author Cleeves, from Whitley Bay, whose books are international best-sellers, having been translated into more than 20 languages. And there then followed a question-and-answer session.Kylea Little, keeper of history at Discovery Museum, had called Cleeves' visit, along with the display of Vera’s costume, "particularly special to us". She added: "We’re very grateful to Ann for joining us."During the evening social, ticket-holders also enjoyed 'lightning talks' on trailblazing local women including engineer Rachel Parsons and wartime doctor and social reformer Irene Ighodaro. There were also displays, live music performances and activities such as proggy mat-making.And sketching sessions gave guests the chance to draw the Vera outfit on the mannequin. For information about more upcoming events at the museum see here.We have a dedicated newsletter for What’s On news and reviews. It’s free and you can sign up to receive it here. It will keep you up to date with all the latest updates on food, drink, entertainment and events in and around the North East.Did you know you can make ChronicleLive a preferred source of North East news in Google, which will mean you get more of our breaking news, exclusives, and must-read stories straight away? Here's more information about what this means and how to do it - you can also do it straight away by clicking here.
