For six years, Tony Kane from local magazine Time and Leisure and Fiona Razvi, who serves as the Festival Director, have brought the literary arts to Wimbledon in the form of Wimbledon Bookfest.

Inspired by the globally celebrated Hay Festival, this nine day festival incorporates the various diverse venues around the local Wimbledon area, from Southside House to a tent on Wimbledon Common and local schools such as my own, the Ursuline High School, Wimbledon.

According the Festival Director, Fiona Razvi, the aim of the festival is to, “bring the arts alive by bringing in writing talent,” through events with the likes of poet Michael Mopurgo, best seller Sophie Kinsella and this year, poet laureate, Carol Ann Duffy.

Special events are held by these writers for local students, who are studying their books to give them a unique insight to the authors writing and the origins of their work and gives them a chance to ask the author questions.

A local teenager who attended one of these events stated that the October festival it is a significant date “to look forward to for all literary lovers.” The festival is aimed at everyone, as throughout the year, the festival runs competitions in local schools to help highlight, as well as nurture upcoming writing talent.

The ultimate aim of the festival organisers is to, “develop it into an arts festival.” This ambition has been shown through the incorporation of local youth theatre groups. Each year they get closer to their ambition as the festival grows in popularity and attracts more attendees.