Tickets now on sale for Cuckfield BookFest this October 22

Photo by: Conor O’Leary

With the 2022 Cuckfield BookFest set to open next month, the organisers are reminding readers that online booking for events is now open. Sheila Mortimer explained: “We had a terrific number of bookings, as soon as ticket sales opened at the beginning of this month – which is great news. Although we do have limited capacity in the Queen’s Hall, so one or two events have already sold out – including the talk by Richard Osman, which we knew would be popular.” There is a packed and wide-ranging programme on offer at BookFest, including court judge Wendy Joseph (Unlawful Killings), David Hendy (The BBC – a people’s history) and award-winning poet Raymond Antrobus (All The Names Given) who will be discussing his work, which has recently been added to the 2022 GSCE English Literature syllabus. For children and families there are events taking place at The Old School including authors Katie Kirby (The Extremely Embarrassing Life of Lottie Brooks), Andrew Pettie (The Big Britannica Quiz) and Cuckfield’s own Sue Monroe (The Magnificent Moon Hare). “As usual we are very grateful to our sponsors,” Sheila explained. Luke Mitchell, teacher of English at Hurstpierpoint College, told us: “At Hurstpierpoint College we are delighted to sponsor and support Cuckfield BookFest. It is a wonderful event and we wish everyone an enriching and enjoyable festival this year.” It will be a weekend packed with interest and entertainment – starting with a Literary Quiz in The Talbot on Thursday 6th October. Cuckfield BookFest takes place between 6th and 9th October and the full programme can be found and booked online at: www.cuckfieldbookfest.co.uk

Mid Downs Radio at the Princess Royal Hospital

Sampling the delights of Cuckfish at MDR

Mid Downs Radio has continued to broadcast 24/7 throughout the pandemic from studios on the first floor of the Princess Royal Hospital. The station is a registered charity and provides music, entertainment and regularly updated information on health, hospital, social care and community matters to patients, staff and visitors to the hospital complex as well as to the wider community.

All the MDR presenters are volunteers who host a wide variety of shows. Production Manager Paul Barnett presents his ‘Tiffin with Paul’, an eclectic mix of music, poems and lively banter with co host Cathy, on Thursday afternoons from 3-5 pm. He has also been seen regularly in the Outside Broadcast Unit compering Cuckfield Christmas Night with MDR Technical Manager Gary Simons.

MDR has been delighted to help promote the brilliant Cuckfield Bookfest since its inception as well as the Music Festival, the 100th anniversary of Cuckfield Tennis Club and the opening of Cuckfish. Since launching the Listen Live service through the website and TuneIn App there has been an increase in listeners. MDR continues to support other charities and organisations by publicising their work and events through interviews and in some cases providing promotional fillers that go out regularly on air. If you would like to know more about promoting your charity through MDR please contact Wendy Swinton-Eagle at wendy@mdr.org.uk.

MDR funds itself through Grants & Membership fees but mainly through hiring out our distinctive Outside Events Unit and now the new fully equipped Mobile Disco complete with professional DJ, Lee Gillet all at very competitive rates.

To find out more about Mid Downs Radio, to read our latest magazine or to Listen Live please visit our website at www.mdr.org.uk

Bookfest is coming to Cuckfield (2017)

By Sheila Mortimer

The speakers are booked, the programme is printed and tickets will shortly be available for the first Cuckfield Book Festival. It opens on Friday 6th October 2017 with supper at Ockenden Manor, and then over the next two days there is a packed programme of talks, discussions and workshops, plus sessions for children upstairs in the Queen’s Hall. The range of authors who have agreed to come is remarkably wide: Adrian Tinniswood talking about The Long Weekend and recounting the tumultuous and scandalous history of English country houses during the years between the two World Wars; Andrew Lownie’s biography of Guy Burgess which the Daily Mail called ‘a more compelling page-turner than any spy thriller’ and Damian Barr who wrote a memoir of his childhood, Maggie and Me, about which JoJo Moyes said: ‘it should be required reading’.

Download the Cuckfield Bookfest 2017 programme here

We all remember the Great Storm of 1987, and Tamsin Treverton Jones has written a compelling portrait of this extraordinary event which she will be discussing with Sue Cook, the well-known broadcaster. Elly Griffiths, famous for her crime fiction, will be talking about The Chalk Garden, the latest in her bestselling series about Dr Ruth Galloway. 

Other writers include Gavin Mortimer, Harry Mount, Anthony Seldon and Anne Sebba. Two young authors will be discussing Jane Austen and Charlotte Brontë, both of them as popular as ever.

The last event on Saturday features the renowned actress Harriet Walter, who will be talking about her book Brutus and Other Heroines, which explains why Dame Harriet has decided to tackle Shakespeare’s mature male roles.

Add to the mix, a book about the Impressionist world by Catherine Hewitt, an explanation of the art of ghostwriting from Andrew Crofts, moderators such as Julian Worricker, Sue Stapely, Alan Judd and Howard Leader, and we hope you agree that the programme is full of interest.

Two local children’s authors, Sally Symes and Jill Lewis, will run events especially for children upstairs in the Queen’s Hall and there will be fascinating sessions for all young dinosaur fans, held in conjunction with Cuckfield Museum.

As with all events in Cuckfield, the success of Bookfest will rely on volunteers, so if you are interested in getting involved, please contact Sheila Chasser at limetrees@hotmail.com

We look forward to welcoming you to lots of events. 

PS – Waitrose in Haywards Heath has agreed to make Cuckfield Bookfest part of its Community Matters in August, so do please support Bookfest in that way too.

www.cuckfieldbookfest.co.uk