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School's Week Web Banner 2026

Schools Week

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Line-up

Book Now

We're at St Mary's Hall
Every Saturday!

If you'd prefer to buy your tickets in person, you can call into our Box Office & Information Desk at

St Mary’s Hall, which will be open every Saturday 10am-12.30pm until the Festival begins.

20th Festival Brochure
Available Now!

We are delighted to announce that our
20th Festival brochure is available in many outlets, across Torridge & North Devon,
including local libraries and shops.
You can download a digital version by clicking here
For more information
please visit the FAQ section of the website.

Volunteer Treasurer
Needed!

We are looking for a committed and organised individual to join the Board of Trustees as our Treasurer. This voluntary position would be ideal for someone with financial experience who wants to make a difference in the community.

To express interest, or for more information, please contact Jan Thompson by email at secretary@appledorebookfestival.co.uk

with your cv or equivalent

Click here for more details

Why not join our
Big Summer Read!

To coincide with the National Year of Reading, we'd be delighted if you would join us for The Big Summer Read where we encourage you to read the same book over the summer months, then meet the author during the Festival.

Tickets are available here!

The chosen book, Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall, is a global bestseller with more than one million copies sold worldwide.

The book is on sale at a reduced price of just £3 (RRP £9.99) at selected outlets.

See the FAQs for details.

Gift Vouchers
Available Now!

Gift Vouchers are now available.

An ideal present for friends and family. They can be purchased for any value you like. The vouchers can easily be redeemed online for Festival event tickets or for Friends Memberships.

Click here for more details

Friends Memberships
Get Yours Today!

Friends Memberships for 2026 are now available.

Being a 'Friend of the Festival' comes with fantastic benefits, including priority booking, and is a great way to support our Festival both now and in the future.

Click here for more details

Charlotte Aitken Trust
Schools Week

Incredible News
For the Book Festival!

We are absolutely delighted to announce that the Appledore Book Festival has received a generous grant from the People’s Postcode Lottery as part of the Millionaire Street Grant Fund – support that will make a real difference to our community. This is extra special this year, as 2026 is the 20th festival and also the Year of Reading.

Click here for more details

Festival Awards Bursary
To Plymouth Uni Student

"It's really amazing to be the first winner of this

scholarship, and it's given me a lot of freedom within my studies this year .. Writing and literature have been part of my life for a long tire, but getting the chance to study at a University level, as well as winning this prize, means that it'll be part of my life for a long time to come.

Thank you so much."

Laurie Page, Plymouth University Student

Click here for more details

Get the Latest News

Click on a News Story below ...

📣Jo Baring, acclaimed art historian and sculpture expert, host of the popular Sculpting Lives podcast and a familiar face on the BBC’s Fake or Fortune?, will bring her expertise and passion for sculpture to life at the 20th Appledore Book Festival this September, where she will discuss her new book, Totem. 📣
For forty thousand years, we have been carving and moulding, shaping and chiselling, feeling our way and sensing our place in the world through sculpture. In this accessible, story-led journey into the heart of sculpture, renowned art historian and curator Jo Baring explores creativity, memory and why we have been driven to make art in this medium since the very beginning of humanity. She examines sculptures from the pre-historic Lion Man figure found in a German cave, to an ancient Mayan pyramid that conjures a serpent made of shadows, and icons of the Italian Renaissance such as Michelangelo’s devastating Pietà. Along the way we encounter in a fresh light the work of twentieth century and contemporary giants such as Alberto Giacometti, Barbara Hepworth, Henry Moore, Constantin Brâncusi, Louise Bourgeois, Yayoi Kusama and Antony Gormley, among others. Lyrical and beautifully illustrated, Totem is a celebration of art, those creating it and those it means something to. 📚
Jo Baring, who has a twenty-five-year career in the art world, is the Director of the Ingram Collection of Modern British and Contemporary Art and a former Director of Christie’s UK. In 2016, she set up the Ingram Prize for contemporary artists. Jo also works with charities and schools to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to fall in love with art. 🖼
🎗Kindly sponsored by London House Studio & Gallery
📸Phil Adams
🎟Tickets are still available, so visit www.appledorebookfestival.co.uk to secure yours today …

What fantastic news! 🎉 Appledore Book Festival, in partnership with Torridge Pilot Gig Club, became the proud winners of 'The Sylvester's Cup for Best Juniors Float' at this years Appledore Carnival!
Our brilliant ‘Gig Stars’, dressed as their favourite book characters, brought the magic of reading to life as they travelled around the Carnival route. 📚⭐
And the excitement didn’t stop there — we distributed an amazing 250 Festival programmes along the way!
So now it’s time to book your tickets for this year’s fantastic line-up of authors and events! 🎟️📖✨
Visit www.appledorebookfestival.co.uk today!
#community #Carnival #appledore #booklovers #grateful #winners

More and more of us dream of a peaceful rural life, surrounded by trees, fields and fresh air. If the idea of country living inspires you, don’t miss this special event with craftsman, archaeologist, historian, countryman and TV host Jules Hudson, as he joins The Voice FM presenter Laura James to discuss his new book, My Journey to a Country Life. 🌳🍃
JULES HUDSON: WILD AT HEART - MY JOURNEY TO A COUNTRY LIFE
In Conversation with Laura James
Thursday 24 September 2026, 12.30pm-1.30pm 🎟£12
A household name to millions, Jules Hudson has been a familiar face on TV for decades. As the frontman for popular shows such as Escape to the Country, Springtime on the Farm and Countryfile, he portrays an idyllic life in the rural landscapes of Britain. However, his own journey to a rural idyll has not always been straightforward and there have been moments of triumph, and tragedy. From humble beginnings in urban Essex to the mountains, fields and woods of his new home in the countryside, Jules provides an evocative portrait not only of his own life, but of the countryside and people with whom he has found his true home.
🎗Kindly sponsored by OCR Architecture
ℹ For tickets visit www.appledorebookfestival.co.uk today!

🌱Are you at one with nature? If you love being outdoors, discovering beautiful places and feeling connected to the natural world, join much-loved actress and presenter Caroline Quentin who’ll be discussing her new book, Drawn to Nature 📚
CAROLINE QUENTIN: DRAWN TO NATURE
In Conversation with Stephanie Merritt
Saturday 26 September 2026, 12.30pm-1.30pm 🎟£15
Actress and presenter Caroline Quentin is well-known for her lead roles in the award-winning sitcom Men Behaving Badly and crime drama Jonathan Creek. Aside from her career as an actress, she has been a passionate gardener for many years. Here she will interweave stories from her life as an actor, with memories of places, people and gardens that have shaped her love of the outdoors. Caroline will talk about her delightful new book, Drawn to Nature, set around her own farmhouse garden in rural Devon, and illustrated by Caroline herself. With practical ideas for staying connected to nature, even when life changes, it is perfect for anyone who wants to nurture a greener, calmer life.
Caroline grew up in Surrey, but now lives in a country farmhouse in Devon, where she grows her own vegetables, and has a large orchard. Her previous book, Drawn to the Garden, was a Sunday Times bestseller.
🎗Kindly sponsored by Mitchell and Dickinson

📣We’re delighted that Iain Dale will be joining us again for the 20th Appledore Book Festival this September📣
Iain Dale: THE GENERALS - LESSONS IN HISTORY – Saturday 19 September 2026, 5.45pm-6.45pm,🎟 £15
With Tobias Ellwood, John Hutton & Timothy Cross
Iain Dale is an award-winning broadcaster with LBC Radio and co-presenter of the For the Many podcast with Jacqui Smith. He has written or edited more than 50 books, including Kings and Queens, The Presidents, The Prime Ministers, On This Day in Politics, Memories of Margaret Thatcher, and Why Can’t We All Just Get Along. His autobiography, Have I Said Too Much? My Life in Politics & the Media, is published this summer.🎙
With the planet in turmoil, there is global interest in the record of military commanders in various combat zones throughout the ages. What made them successful? How much is it to do with their strategic abilities, leadership qualities or force of personality? In his latest book author and broadcaster, Iain Dale, brings together an array of experts to share valuable insights into 69 key military leaders who've shaped our world, from Attila the Hun to Sir Mike Jackson. Iain will discuss what lessons can be learnt from the past with contributors former MP and soldier, Tobias Ellwood, former Defence Secretary, Lord John Hutton and Major General Timothy Cross (retired).📚
🎗Kindly sponsored by D Scott Financial Ltd
📸Steve Ullathorne
For tickets visit www.appledorebookfestival.co.uk

🎪Festival Favourite, Pam Ayres, will be returning this September – AND TICKETS ARE SELLING FAST!📚
Pam Ayres: Doggedly Onward - Thursday 24 September 2026 5.45pm-6.45pm,🎟️£16
As Britain’s most read and adored poet, Pam Ayres has spent a lifetime bringing joy to us all, providing wise and hilarious insights into the delights and tribulations of daily life. Assembled for the first time in a single volume, Pam’s life in poems is beautifully illustrated and annotated throughout with her own reflections on six decades of making the nation laugh and cry.
Pam Ayres started her broadcasting career at BBC Radio Oxford in the 1970s, and she has now been making the nation laugh for over half a century – since 1975, when she first appeared on television.
‘When I look over the poems in this book, I can trace the course of my life. The various stages are all here: the young woman juggling various boyfriends, the wife adrift amid the joy and terror of new motherhood, and the astounded, adoring granny. Here is the cavalcade of much-loved dogs, the fascination with wildlife, the travel, mistakes, regrets, the heartbreaking leaving of the family home and the sober business of ageing.’ Pam Ayres
'Who doesn’t feel warm, sentimental, and downright good when they think of Pam Ayres? She’s a timeless talent and a glorious people’s poet.’ Glastonbury Festival 2022
‘We love her because she makes us laugh, but above all because we know she’s genuine.’ The Oldie Magazine, 2024
🎗️Kindly sponsored by Brewer Harding & Rowe Solicitors LLP
To book visit www.appledorebookfestival.co.uk

📣 General Ticket Sale is Open! 🎉

🎟 Book your tickets at www.appledorebookfestival.co.uk

They can also be bought in person from our volunteers at the Box Office & Information Desk at St Mary’s Hall between 10am-12.30pm, every Saturday in August and Saturday 5 & 12 September

#missitmissout #gogogo #appledore #authors #tickets

🎟 General Ticket Sale Goes Live Tomorrow! Saturday 1 Aug!🎟
Booking opens at 8am online at www.appledorebookfestival.co.uk.
🎪This year’s incredible line-up includes …
Ben Miller & Robert Thorogood, Mary Portas, Sophie Raworth, Su Pollard, Graeme Hall, Caroline Quentin, Jeremy Wade, Jules Hudson, Margaret Hodge Dawn O’Porter, Ann Cleeves, Jeremy Vine, Rachael Stirling, Minette Batters, Frances Tophill, Tanya Landman, Liz Earle, Frank Gardner, Damian Lewis, Pam Ayres, Tim Marshall, Oliver Bullough, Amy Jeffs, Iain Dale, Claudia Hammond, Esther Ghey, Peter Ricketts, Gilly McArthur, Clare Leslie-Hall, Shehan Hettiaratchy and more.📚
🎗The Appledore Book Festival is a charity and non-profit making organisation. The revenue generated goes towards helping our local community and running our Schools' Week Outreach Programme, one of the largest in the UK.

Have you been to the Appledore Book Festival? 🎪

Swipe to find out what you can expect ➡

This year’s incredible line-up includes … 📚

Ben Miller & Robert Thorogood, Mary Portas, Sophie Raworth, Su Pollard, Graeme Hall, Caroline Quentin, Jeremy Wade, Jules Hudson, Margaret Hodge Dawn O’Porter, Ann Cleeves, Jeremy Vine, Rachael Stirling, Minette Batters, Frances Tophill, Tanya Landman, Liz Earle, Frank Gardner, Damian Lewis, Pam Ayres, Tim Marshall, Oliver Bullough, Amy Jeffs, Iain Dale, Claudia Hammond, Esther Ghey, Peter Ricketts, Gilly McArthur, Clare Leslie-Hall, Shehan Hettiaratchy and more.

We’ll have interesting talks on a whole variety of topics; nature, history & art walks; fantastic family events including our FREE Family Fun Day; food & drink events with wine and whiskey tasting or you could learn to make sushi & sourdough. Our event programme is available to download from the homepage of our website or you could pick up a printed copy at Waterstones Barnstaple, local shops & businesses or libraries throughout North Devon.

🎟Tickets for FRIENDS OF THE FESTIVAL are on sale now & the GENERAL SALE begins on Sat 1 Aug (THIS SATURDAY AT 8AM) with tickets available to buy from www.appledorebookfestival.co.uk.

📣 PRIORITY BOOKING IS NOW OPEN! 🎟️

Friends - Go, Go, Go! 🤩

Remember – if you’re not already, you can still become a 'Friend of the Festival' and take advantage of early bird tickets which are available to buy from today, for eight days, until the general ticket sale opens on Sat 1 August!

🎪Discover leading non-fiction at the 20th Appledore Book Festival. 🎪
You can expect big ideas, compelling true stories, powerful debates and inspiring conversations from our brilliant 2026 authors this September – so make sure you’re in line to get tickets.📚
These can be purchased online from 8am on Friday 24 July (priority booking for Friends of the Festival) & 8am on Saturday 1 Aug (General Sale). 🎟
They can also be bought in person from our volunteers at the Box Office & Information Desk at St Mary’s Hall between 10am-12.30pm on the following dates:
- Friday 24 July (Friends of the Festival Only)
- Saturday 25 July (Friends of the Festival Only)
- Every Saturday in August and Saturday 5 & 12 September (General Sale)
2026 Friends' Membership & Priority Booking🎗
Many events do sell out quickly, so you might want to consider becoming a Friend of the Festival.
ℹ For more information, please visit www.appledorebookfestival.co.uk

📣DON’T MISS OUT – TICKET SALE STARTS NEXT WEEK!📣
Box Office & Information Desk 📚🎪
Festival tickets can be purchased online from 8am on Friday 24 July (priority booking for Friends of the Festival) & 8am on Saturday 1 Aug (General Sale). 🎟️
They can also be bought in person from our volunteers at the Box Office & Information Desk at St Mary’s Hall between 10am-12.30pm on the following dates:
- Friday 24 July (Friends of the Festival Only)
- Saturday 25 July (Friends of the Festival Only)
- Every Saturday in August and Saturday 5 & 12 September (General Sale)
2026 Friends' Membership & Priority Booking🎗️
Many events do sell out quickly, so you might want to consider becoming a Friend of the Festival. This annual membership is just £28 and in addition to priority advance booking one week ahead of general public sales, you will get:
• Advance details of the Festival programme and notification of events;
• Invitations to exclusive Friends' events;
• Special discounts and offers throughout the year.
By purchasing membership, you are also helping to secure the future of the Festival.
For more information, please visit www.appledorebookfestival.co.uk

🏆AND THE WINNER IS ... 🏆
The winner of our Festival Beer naming competition is Adam Swann with Thirst Draft!
A huge thank you to everyone who entered!
Look out for bottles of 'Thirst Draft' which will be available in Appledore and at Skern during the Festival. 🎪
Cheers!🍻
(Beer will be produced by Clearwater Brewery)

📣NEW FOR 2026: THE BIG SUMMER READ
CLARE LESLIE HALL: BROKEN COUNTRY📣
To coincide with this year’s National Year of Reading, we'd be delighted if you would join us for The Big Summer Read. 📚
We are encouraging everyone to read the same book over the summer months, and to come along and meet the author during the Festival over a glass of wine. Clare will be in conversation with Festival Patron, Veronica Henry, which will be held on Tuesday 22 September at 7.30pm-8.30pm, in St Mary’s Church, Appledore (£10 a ticket).
The chosen book, Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall, has been a global bestseller with more than one million copies sold worldwide. Set in a West Country village this beautifully written love story, with the pulse of a thriller, is a novel of impossible choices and devastating consequences.
The book is on sale at a reduced price of just £3 (RRP £9.99) at the following local outlets:
Johns of Appledore - Market Street Kitchen - Number Twenty - The Seagate - Maggies Cafe at St Margaret's Church, Northam - The Crowbar, Northam - Bread Cafe, Bideford - The Burton, Bideford
It is also available at local libraries and is perfect for book clubs and reading groups, or for anyone who likes a good read.
🎗️Clare Leslie Hall event is sponsored by Errazuriz
📸Oli Green
If you would like to find out more about the National Year of Reading and the Go All In campaign, visit goallin.org.uk/
#BigSummerRead #brokencountry #abf2026

We were very sad to hear of the tragic death of Ann Widdecombe.
Ann spoke at the Festival on several occasions and was a big supporter in its early days. We send our heartfelt condolences to all her family and friends. R.I.P Ann 🤍
(Photo by Sarah Gallifent)

📣Will you be joining us at Appledore Quay tomorrow to celebrate the arrival of our 20th Festival Brochure? 📣
The Appledore Pirates have taken over a steamship and will be arriving at the quay with a treasure chest full of brochures at 2.15pm, Sat, 11 July. ✨
Welcomed by the Applecorer shanty singers, the boat will be met by our amazing volunteers who will distribute the pirates loot throughout the village. ⚓🎶
From 3pm you are welcome to join us for a cream tea at St Mary's Hall (for a charitable donation).🫖 🍰
🎟️Festival Tickets
• Priority booking for Friends of the Festival opens at 8am on Friday 24 July
• General ticket sale opens at 8am on Saturday 1 August
THERE'S STILL TIME TO JOIN AS A FRIEND OF THE FESTIVAL, SO VISIT THE WEBSITE TODAY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF PRIORITY BOOKING (& OTHER BENEFITS) www.appledorebookfestival.co.uk.

📣 Join us at Appledore Quay on Saturday 11 July to be among the first to receive a 20th Festival Brochure! 📣

The Appledore Pirates have taken over the ferry and will be arriving at the quay with a treasure chest full of brochures at 2.15pm on Saturday, 11 July. ✨

Welcomed by the Applecorer shanty singers, the ferry will be met by our wonderful volunteers who will distribute the pirates loot throughout the village. ⚓🎶

From 3pm you are welcome to join us for a cream tea at St Mary's Hall (donations welcome).🫖 🍰

🎟️ Festival Tickets
• Priority booking for Friends of the Festival opens at 8am on Friday 24 July
• General ticket sale opens at 8am on Saturday 1 August

#20thfestival #2026brochure #brochurelaunch #community

📣COMPETITION TIME – NAME OUR 20TH FESTIVAL BEER!📣
We’re delighted to announce that we'll be selling our very own beer between 18th-27th September, to celebrate our 20th Festival!🍺
For the chance to WIN 2 x TICKETS to an author event of your choice*, we’d like you to send in your suggestions of what our new beer should be called!
Entries will only be accepted via email sent to marketing@appledorebookfestival.co.uk and are received by no later than 5pm on Wed 1st July.
The winner, and winning beer name, will be announced on Sat 11 July!
GOOD LUCK!🍀
*Excludes food/drink/VIP events
#competitiontime #festivalbeer #GoodLuck

📣 NOTICE OF THIS YEAR'S AGM 📣
The Appledore Book Festival AGM will be held on Thursday 2nd July, 6.30pm at St Mary's Hall, Appledore.
We invite Friends of the Festival and members of the local community to attend🎗️
#annualgeneralmeeting #appledorebookfestival #welcome #community

📣 EXCITING NEWS 📣

The paperback of Veronicas Henry’s sweeping new novel, The Invitation, is out today and available at many supermarkets & good bookshops! 💫

Set between post-war London and the enchanting Foxwood Manor in the rolling Somerset countryside, The Invitation is full of glamour, romance and adventures – the perfect summertime read. 📚 ☀️

AND we’re delighted to announce that our wonderful Patron, Veronica, will be appearing once again at this year’s Festival … 🎪

📣 2026 Starting Line-up Announcement 📣

We are delighted to be welcoming these fantastic authors in September! 📚

Comedian, actor and author, Ben Miller, the original star of the popular TV show Death in Paradise, and writer, Robert Thorogood, creator of the hit drama, will join us to discuss the success of the series, the appeal of the murder-mystery and the lasting legacy of Agatha Christie. We’ll also have the Queen of Shops, Mary Portas; BBC Newsreader, Sophie Raworth; colourful actress and singer, Su Pollard; host of Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly, Graeme Hall; actor and broadcaster, Caroline Quentin; angler, explorer and host of River Monsters, Jeremy Wade; Escape to the Country presenter Jules Hudson; Labour grandee, Baroness Margaret Hodge and novelist & presenter, Dawn O’Porter. 🏡 🐟 ✍️ 🎭 🐶 🛍️ 🎬

Returning to the stage will be Festival patrons Ann Cleeves, Jeremy Vine & Tanya Landman, beauty and wellness entrepreneur, Liz Earle; BBC security correspondent, Frank Gardner; author & filmmaker Damian Lewis and the nation’s favourite poet Pam Ayres. 🧘‍♀️ 🎥 📺 📕

Others in the line-up include Tim Marshall, Oliver Bullough, Amy Jeffs, Iain Dale, Claudia Hammond, Esther Ghey, Peter Ricketts, Gilly McArthur, Clare Leslie-Hall, Shehan Hettiaratchy and even more names to be announced in the coming weeks and months! 💫

Tickets will be on sale for Friends of the Festival on Fri 24 July & on General Sale on Sat 1 Aug. 🎟️

Friends Membership for 2026 is now available, which offers priority booking and other great benefits! Visit appledorebookfestival.co.uk for more details ℹ️

📸 Ben Miller (©Arved Colvin-Smith), Dawn O’Porter (©Toby Madden), Frank Gardner (©Kin Ho); Mary Portas (©Linda Nyland), Sophie Raworth (©BBC)

📣 Volunteer Treasurer Needed 📣
The Appledore Book Festival is looking for a committed and organised individual to join the Board of Trustees as our Treasurer. This voluntary position would be ideal for someone with financial experience who wants to make a difference in the community.

As Treasurer you would help to oversee the charity’s finances, support good governance and work with your fellow Trustees to ensure the Charity’s aims are sustainable and effective.

What you will bring
• Financial knowledge of bookkeeping or accountancy experience and charities.
• Good organisational skills.
• Commitment to the Charity’s aims and values.
• Ability to work as a team.

What you will do
• Monitor income and expenditure.
• Present Financial reports to the Board.
• Support budgeting and financial planning.
• Ensure proper procedures are followed.
• Contribute to the charity’s planning.

This a rewarding opportunity to support a meaningful cause and contribute your skills to the Festival and the local community. 🎗️

To express interest, or for more information, please contact Jan Thompson by email at secretary@appledorebookfestival.co.uk with your cv or equivalent by 2nd July 2026

We are delighted to announce that the Appledore Book Festival 2026 Art Prize winner is local artist, Rosie Burns. CONGRATULATIONS ROSIE!🎉

The winning artwork named ‘THE NETTED SUNBEAM DANCE’ will appear on the front cover of this year’s brochure. The title is a line from Tennyson's THE BROOK - one of Rosie’s favourite water poems.🖼️

The original artwork will be on display at the Festival in September and will be auctioned at the end of the 10 days, with profits being shared between the artist and the Festival.
Rosie is a painter and printmaker, she is one half of Rosie and Red Art and Leather, working from studios in Bideford. Her work is a vibrant exploration of light, life, and the interplay between humanity and the environment. More formal oil paintings celebrate the natural world, and generate narratives, whilst experimental printmaking processes challenge depictions of gender, environmental concerns and push the boundaries between print and paint.🎨

She initially trained as an Archaeological site and finds illustrator, she then went on to train to teach art and design in schools, she worked in state education for over 20 years. Rosie has exhibited locally, nationally and internationally for over 3 decades, participated in Art for Social Justice exhibitions in Miami, Berlin and the 2024 Venice Biennial. She is an Artivist, a pacifist and keen to use her work to engage broad audiences in issues of contemporary social justice, she is a full-time, self-employed artist.👩‍🎨

For more information visit www.rosieburnsartist.com
We would like to offer a warm thank you to ArtMakers for their continued support and to everyone who entered the competition.🎗️

@burns_rosie @artmakersuk

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