THE founding director of the Bewdley Festival will be speaking about his new book Scotland’s Global Empire at this year’s Bewdley Book Week.

Journalist Jock Gallagher, who has lived in Bewdley since 1970, was encouraged to write the book by a quote from Voltaire which said “We look to Scotland for all our ideas of civilisation.”

Jock said: “Voltaire may have over-egged the pudding but in many areas, I believe, our small nation has punched well above its weight and has earned this generous compliment."

The book, which races through the exploits and achievements of a gallery of Scots, was written over eight years.

Household names such as Andrew Carnegie, Alexander Graham Bell, John Logie Baird and Charles Rennie Mackintosh are mentioned to underpin the strength of the empire but it focuses on people who may not have made the headlines.

Jock added: “It's luckily not dependent on a seat of power and nor is it affected by the bruising arguments about Scotland's place within the UK or as an independent state.”

Jock is a former producer and programme head at the BBC and has written three novels about The Archers, ghosted an autobiography of Gwen Berryman who played Doris Archer and written a biography of Lady Isobel Barnett.

Jock will be speaking at St George’s Hall on Tuesday, September 10 at 7.30pm.