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This looks so interesting and I’d like to be at some of the online events. Can you tell me if there will be Zoom captions please, and will readings be screen shared? Big thanks.

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Hi Maggie - we are actually using Microsoft Teams as it is a university event, and that is the platform that Manchester Metropolitan University use. So as far as I know, no captions or screen sharing. I know this isn't ideal, but this year had to focus on getting the 16 events up and running. I have tried to make it accessible as I could by having a variety of events on at different times of the day, with some online only and a few hybrid events, but that was all I and the very small team I have working with me could manage this year. I am hoping to run the 16 days again, and my plan is to build more accessibility in each time. Having ran a hybrid festival previously, I know how much work it is not just to do it, but to do it well and we just don't have the resources this year.

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Thanks for getting back. I do appreciate how difficult it can be! Hope all goes well and look forward to maybe joining you in future x

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Thanks Maggie. There is a slim chance that we may move to Youtube live stream for the first and last event, in which case I think youtube has captions? I'll post on here if that happens. If we do that, we need someone to moderate comments etc because of the nature of the event, so it has implications in terms of staff/ or volunteers. I know it's not ideal, and it is something I'll be working on in future years x

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Yes, YouTube can be set to auto captions. Thanks for taking it into account for the future x

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Hi Maggie - apparently Microsoft Teams does have captions and will create a transcript as well - so I have misinformed you! Hope this enables you to come to at least the first and last event....

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Feeling quite jealous because getting to Manchester not possible and I’d love to be party to at least some of this. I’m sure I’m not the only one. Is online participation possible at all? Please. Pretty please.

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Hi Ann thanks for message. The 25th November and the 10th December events are both hybrid events. The online tickets should be online and available to book now or if not early next week. The Late Night Writing Hour on the 30th November and the Panel Discussion on 1st December are online only . Caroline Stancer's workshop is also online but I think that has sold out already. I am hoping to expand the number of online events if I do this again, but this year it came down to capacity for the very small team and how much we could do.

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