We are delighted to be holding our fifth annual Manifesto For Essex Eco-Gathering. It will be taking place at Chelmsford Theatre Studio on the morning of Saturday 28 February 2026.

This is your chance to hear about local eco-projects and how to get involved, participate in creative eco-workshops to learn new skills, and connect with like-minded individuals who share your passion for climate action, culture, and community.

Workshops include eco-podcasting, eco-script writing and eco-journalling.

The Eco-Gathering is aimed primarily at 13-25 year olds living in Essex.

This event is funded by Arts Council England and is free to attend. Places are limited so reserve your place today to avoid disappointment.

Reserve your spot today at eventbrite.co.uk.

The Eco-Gathering is part of Manifesto For Essex, a multi-form creative platform run by Essex Book Festival for young people living in Essex and beyond to express their ideas about climate action.

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Club members will explore a breadth of activities including writing and performing poetry, short-fiction, blogging, zine-making, podcasting and illustration. They will visit local cultural venues and creative spaces, and exhibit nationwide at the Essex Book Festival and the Summer Show at Somerset House.

Generating new and exciting work, Club members will find themselves creating media that helps them find their voice and share their ideas. We can’t wait to hear what they have to say!

Open to 13–16-year-olds.

Club dates:
27 September 2025 – 28 March 2026
Saturdays, 10:00am – 12:30pm

Location:
Anglia Ruskin University, Chelmsford Campus, Bishop Hall Lane, Chelmsford, CM1 1SQ

Join the club at saturday-club.org/club/essex-book-festival-aru-writing-talking/

About National Saturday Club

Young people across the country are spending Saturday mornings at their local university, college or museum discovering subjects they love. Saturday Clubs are open to 13–16-year-olds of all abilities and are free to attend.

Joining the National Saturday Club is a unique opportunity to learn new skills, discover talents, meet new people, and find out more about further education, higher education and rewarding careers.

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Thursday 25 June 2026, 7.00pm – 8.00pm
Hot Box, 28, 29 Viaduct Rd, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 1TS

Debut novelist Amy Abdelnoor lived and worked in the West Bank and in refugee camps in Lebanon which inspired Ever Land, a powerful story set in 2000s Palestine. A tale of belonging and identity, of devastation and displacement and – ultimately – of the enduring universality of humanity and love.

Amy will be in conversation with Rachel Holmes, author of Sylvia Pankhurst: Natural Born Rebel.

Tickets: £11 (includes £1 booking fee)

Box Office: hotboxlive.co.uk

Event Information

💬 The event will include an audience Q&A session.
📚 Copies of the book will be available to buy from Red Lion Books on the night.
🖊️ After the event there will be an opportunity to get the book signed by the author.
🍷 The bar will be open serving refreshments
🪑 Seats are unallocated.
𖣘 The venue is air conditioned
♿ The venue has step free access throughout and an accessible toilet. hotboxlive.co.uk/accessibility
📸 We will be filming and taking photos at this event. Please let a member of the team know if you do not want to be photographed / filmed

Amy Abdelnoor

Photo of Amy Abdelnoor Author © Michelle Grant

Amy Abdelnoor is a British Arab writer and English teacher. She studied English and Arabic at the University of Cambridge. She lived and worked in the West Bank and in refugee camps in Lebanon in her early twenties. These experiences inspired Ever Land, her debut novel, an early iteration of which was shortlisted for the 2023 Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize. She is married with three children.

Ever Land

A gripping and powerful story of connection and displacement set in 2000s Palestine.

It is the year 2000 when Dinah, a Jewish teenager from London, arrives in Israel with her family. Still reeling from the death of her beloved dad, the idea of having to start all over again daunts her. Dinah isn’t quite sure what to make of this seemingly pristine place: her new life seems soulless and suffocating.

Another teenager, Safa, watches Dinah settle in. A fourteen-year-old Palestinian who was shot and killed decades ago in the Six Day War, Safa is caught in a limbo which she calls the ‘In-Between’. She is unable to fully pass on without knowing what happened to her younger sister, Nur, who is still alive somewhere. Thirty-three years after her death, the possibility of finding her is suddenly within reach – but she needs Dinah to help her.

Alternating between past and present, and between Safa and Dinah, Ever Land is a gripping and powerful story that sheds light on the ongoing occupation of Palestine. It is a tale of belonging and identity, of devastation and displacement and – ultimately – of the enduring universality of humanity and love.

‘Cleverly conceived and brilliantly engaging . . . a powerful novel. Read this.’
– Priscilla Morris

‘Ambitious and complex but handled with impressive ease.’
– Rose Tremain

Rachel Holmes

Photo of Rachel Holmes © Ruth Crafer

A PalFest veteran, Rachel Holmes is the author most recently of Sylvia Pankhurst: Natural Born Rebel. Her previous books include Eleanor Marx: A Life, The Hottentot Venus: The Life and Death of Sarah Baartman, and The Secret Life of Dr James Barry. In 2026 Rachel was appointed as the authorised biographer of Doris Lessing. From 2009 to 2014 she was tutor and writer in residence at the Palestine Writing Workshop in the West Bank, a PalFest initiative.

The post Ever Land – SOLD OUT appeared first on Essex Book Festival.

Named one of the Observer’s best new novelists for 2024, Nicolas will be heading to Hot Box, Chelmsford, to talk about his brilliant coming-of-age thriller, England Is Mine.

Find out more and book tickets for Nicolas Padamsee’s event here.

The post Nicolas Padamsee – Date Changed appeared first on Essex Book Festival.

Tuesday 23 June 2026, 7.00pm
Essex Record Office, Wharf Road, Chelmsford, CM2 6YT

Sunday Times best-selling historical novelist Alison Weir gives a talk about her spellbinding new novel, The Boleyn Secret. At twelve years old, Kate Carey attends her aunt, Queen Anne Boleyn, to the scaffold. Weir explores in fiction the lasting impact of this event as well as the likelihood that Katherine Carey was Henry VIII’s child.

‘Nobody brings historical characters to life like Alison Weir’

– Tracy Borman

Tickets: £12 / £10
Box Office: essexbookfestival.org.uk or Mercury Theatre 01206 573948

Event Information

💬 The event will include an audience Q&A session.
📚 Copies of the book will be available to purchase on the day.
🖊️ After the event there will be an opportunity to get the book signed by the author.
🪑 Seats are unallocated.
☕ Refreshments will be available to buy at this event – cash and card payments taken
🚗 Chelmsford Cathedral is a 5 minute walk from the train station and bus station. The Cathedral does not have its own car park but there are a number of public car parks within a short walking distance: https://www.chelmsford.gov.uk/parking-and-travel/car-parks/.
♿ The venue is wheelchair accessible. There are disabled facilities on site.
📸 We will be filming and taking photos at this event.

Alison Weir

Dr Alison Weir is a bestselling historical novelist of Tudor fiction, and the leading female historian in the United Kingdom. She has published more than thirty books, including many leading works of non-fiction, and has sold over three million copies worldwide. Her novels include the Tudor Rose trilogy, which spans three generations of history’s most iconic family – the Tudors, and the highly acclaimed Six Tudor Queens series about the wives of Henry VIII, all of which were Sunday Times bestsellers. Her latest biography is Queens at War, and her latest novel is The Boleyn Secret (May 2026). Alison is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and an honorary life patron of Historic Royal Palaces.

For further information visit Alison’s websites at alisonweir.org.uk and alisonweirtours.com.

Find Alison online:

X: @AlisonWeirBooks | FB: Alison Weir

The Boleyn Secret

Boleyn women. Passionate. Legendary. Full of secrets. This is the spellbinding new novel from Sunday Times bestselling novelist Alison Weir.

At twelve years old, Kate Carey attends her aunt, Queen Anne Boleyn, to the scaffold. Horrified by what she witnesses, Kate is convinced that King Henry VIII has sent an innocent woman to a terrible death.

As the Boleyn’s fall from favour, Kate serves her now motherless cousin, the young Lady Elizabeth. Bound by Boleyn blood, the two girls grow as close as sisters, until Kate marries for love – and leaves a jealous Elizabeth behind.

At court, Kate cannot ignore the sly looks thrown her way, nor the whispers behind her back. Only when her mother, Mary, lies dying, does she learn the life-shattering truth that the Boleyn’s have been hiding for years.

It is a secret that will follow Kate throughout her life, as she flees religious persecution with her husband and lives abroad in fear, only returning home when Elizabeth becomes queen. But the bond between the Boleyn cousins will never be the same again…

Order a hardback copy of the book at bookshop.org.

Praise for Alison Weir’s Tudor Fiction

‘History has the best stories and they should all be told like this’
– Conn Iggulden

‘Alison Weir is ahead of the curve – and at the top of her game’
– Sarah Gristwood

‘Alison Weir makes history come alive as no one else’
– Barbara Erskine

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Book Week is back back for the first Half Term of 2025, helping your little ones create their very own fairytale adventure.

Become part of our Chelmsford Fairytale and join in with our programme of FREE Book Week activities…

Be sure to share your story book adventures on social media using #CFYBookWeek and tagging @ChelmsfordForYou.

MON 17
Storybook Creations: Mixed Media Collage Workshop

Learn how to make beautiful mixed media collages using vintage book pages. You will be given a secret collage pack to get creative with colours, textures, and tell your own unique story.

Location: John Lewis, Floor 2

Activity Time: Drop-In Sessions 10am – 12:30pm and 1:30pm – 4pm

TUES 18
Book Adventures at Chelmsford Market

Our indoor retail market (ranked one of the top 10 in the UK) is getting involved with this year’s Book Week, and they’ve got…

FREE Beaded Bookmark Workshop – come along and make your very own bookmark in this activity organised by Chelmsford Market and sponsored by Berties Beads. Drop in between 10am-12pm and 1pm-3pm to make your own.

Pop-up book stand from local authors… ready for you to buy your next read… including brand new Children’s book ‘The Cute Nute’ by Carley-Ann Osborn. There will be short story sessions of this book at 10am, 11am, 12am, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm – along with colouring sheets from the book, illustrated by Carley-Ann herself.

Location: Chelmsford Indoor Market (North Hall – behind the flower stall)

Activity Time: Drop-In Sessions 8:30am – 4pm (see above for specific times)

WED 19
Book Week Bonanza: Family Arts & Crafts

Join us for a day of creativity and fun at The Meadows Shopping Centre as we celebrate Book Week. Dive into the world of storytelling and literature through four exciting art and craft workshops.

Location: The Meadows Shopping Centre

Activity Time: Drop-In Sessions 10am – 2pm

THURS 20
Zine Workshop

Join illustrator and author Hayley Wells to learn how to make your own zine. A zine is a small booklet that anyone can make with just an A4 piece of paper (and a little creativity). They can be funny or serious and include whatever you’re interested in – the best thing about zines is that there are no rules! This workshop is suitable for ages 5+ and all materials will be provided.

Location: High Chelmer Shopping Centre

Activity Time: Drop-In Sessions 10am-11am & 1pm-2pm

FRI 21
Fairytale Facepainting

It’s time to become the character of your very own fairy tale with our free, book week face painters, who will you be transformed into?

Location: High Chelmer Shopping Centre

Time: 10am – 4pm (queue closes at 3:30pm)

https://www.chelmsfordforyou.co.uk/chelmsfordbookweek

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Featuring a mix of live podcasts, networking, and workshops, a range of topics will be covered over the two days, including music, sport, comedy, witches, lifestyle, climate change, business creativity and more.

See the full programme and details, plus book your tickets at chelmsfordforyou.co.uk.

Essex Podcast Festival – An Audience with Manifesto for Essex

An Audience With Manifesto For Essex
Hosted by Marina Cusí with special guests Ada Mazi and Steve Mortimer
Part of Essex Podcast Festival

Starting with humble beginnings at the Essex Book Festival in 2020, Manifesto for Essex is a response to festival director Ros Green’s question, what is the most pressing issue of the day and who is most affected by it?

The discussion will be chaired by Marina Cusi who is joined by Ada Mazi, one of the outstanding young people who have been part of their Writing and Talking National Saturday Club based at ARU. We will also be welcoming Steve Mortimer to the panel, producer of the film Connect: A Creative Response to Climate Change, which was selected for over 140 international film awards. Steve is also the founder of The Black Chapel Collective, which is a creative group of musicians, video artists, film makers, DJ’s, rappers, poets and dancers that create exciting, transformative and contemporary live art projects around climate change.

This event is part of the Essex Podcast Festival, featuring a jam packed line-up of Essex inspired podcasts staged in front of a live audience. For more information, visit chelmsfordtheatre.co.uk.

Saturday 28 September, 2.30pm (Duration: 45 minutes)
Venue: Chelmsford Theatre Studio, Fairfield Road, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 1JG
Tickets: £5.00 A £2 fee is applicable per transaction
Box Office: chelmsfordtheatre.co.uk/events/an-audience-with-manifesto-for-essex/

Wheelchair accessible and essential companion tickets must be booked via the Access Scheme

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John Crace will be talking about his latest book Depraved New World, a blisteringly hilarious tour through the whirlwind of post-Brexit Britain, plus all the latest goings-on in British politics. One thing’s for sure, there will be a lot to discuss!

If you already had a ticket for John Crace’s event, we really hope you can make the new date. The box office will be in touch with you soon to confirm.

More information and book tickets for John Crace, Depraved New World here.

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Think ‘feathers’ not ‘sequins’, ‘birdsong’ not ‘pop’, and join us for our fabulous array of events at Hylands House in Chelmsford as part of our Restless Brilliance Day: our homage to Chelmsford-born writer J.A. Baker of The Peregrine fame, widely considered to be a literary masterpiece.

Peregrines aside, where do the swifts come in? The festival is thrilled to be welcoming nature writer Mark Cocker, also widely considered to be something of a literary genius, to Chelmsford to talk about his latest book, One Midsummers Day: Swifts and the Story of the Earth.

As for ‘birdsong’ rather than ‘pop’, Andrew Millham, the wonderful nature and folk history writer, whose work has featured in a wide range of national publications including BBC Wildlife, Coast, and The Countryman, will be discussing his book Singing Like Larks, and beyond that the legacy of J.A. Baker’s The Peregrine and what it means to Essex.

The post A ‘Swiftie’ Twist … appeared first on Essex Book Festival.

It is open to all 13-16 year olds living in and around the Chelmsford area who are passionate about writing and talking. Our young participants will explore multiple forms of writing, including zine-making, poetry, fiction, non-fiction, blogging etc, and talking, including spoken word poetry and podcasting.

The programme includes two trips to London: one for a visit backstage at Royal Opera House to see its workings, the other to attend the national exhibition of work at Somerset House, which will be showing work from National Saturday Clubs across the UK.

It is free to sign up but please note that there are only 15 places available so if you know someone who would benefit from taking part in the Club, make sure they get in quick. More information about the Club and the sign up link can be found here: https://saturday-club.org/club/essex-book-festival-aru-writing-talking/

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