Welcome to Cuckfield Life’s Cuckfield Bookfest event page. Here you will find our most recent information for everything Bookfest.

As a community interest group, Bookfest relies on the generous support from sponsors, benefactors and friends to help them host brilliant writers and new talents every year.

Celebrating ten years of the Cuckfield Book Festival

It’s ten years since the first book festival was planned so this year is a special one. We have grown steadily over the years and from 2017, when we had just 18 authors, to 2025 when we had over 35 events. As usual, the literary quiz will be taking place in the Talbot pub in the village, on Friday 25th September. There are some familiar names: Juliet Nicolson is opening proceedings on Saturday 3rd October to talk about her latest book, The Book of Revelations: Women and their Secrets, a blend of memoir, stories and social history.

Also on Saturday, Tim Spector, the world-leading gut scientist and best-selling author of Food for Life will discuss the life-changing benefits of fermentation. Ellie Griffith is returning and with Simon Toyne will provide an entertaining crime evening, mixed with Martinis, on Saturday 3rd October. Palaeontologist Steve Brusatte and his wife Anne have each published books this year about dinosaurs and they are collaborating with Cuckfield Museum on Sunday to provide a family event and an event for young children. Many people have been enthralled by Netflix’s current series on dinosaurs and will learn more by listening to the Brusattes.

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of Winnie the Pooh, James Campbell has published a beautiful book about his creators, E.H.Shepard and A. A.Milne, and will be talking about it on Sunday afternoon. The Big Book Group this year features Patrick Gale’s latest book Love Lane, a portrayal of escape and the power of love, home and family. Do Include the book in your own book club programme this year and come along to hear Patrick talk about it on the evening of Sunday 4th October.

There will, of course, be sessions for families and young people with details to come. 2026 is the National year of Reading and Cuckfield Bookfest has pledged support for this initiative. More information to come. There will be many more authors featuring books on politics, crime fiction, medicine, poetry and history. More information will be on the website, currently undergoing a revamp. www.cuckfieldbookfest.co.uk

Sponsors, benefactors and friends

As a community interest group, we rely solely on donations and ticket sales. Your support, however big or small, is incredibly valuable to help secure the long-term future of Cuckfield Bookfest. Please consider joining as a Friend or Benefactor. The support of our sponsors is instrumental to the success of the festival, and all sponsors will be acknowledged inside the programme, on social media and the website (or may remain anonymous if they prefer). Sponsorship packages start at just £250 and include all the benefits of being a Benefactor plus complimentary tickets as well as advertising opportunities for your organisation.

Thank you all for your continued support and look forward to seeing you at the tenth Cuckfield Bookfest.

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