More than 3,000 students attended education events, with 14 visiting authors going into local schools, and the festival also hosted five free community and outreach events, meaning in total, the festival reached an audience of 11,500.
‘This shows that the festival continues to be embedded in the island’s cultural life. We knew we had a good programme to offer and that has been borne out by our wonderful audiences,’ said festival chairman Rob Shepherd.
Broadcaster and journalist Jon Sopel, who was interviewed on stage by fellow political broadcaster Sarah Montague at a sell-out event at St James, said the festival was ‘wonderfully organised and well supported’.
‘The audiences were engaged and smart, the whole event seemed to run like clockwork – and can you beat it as a location?’ he said.
The festival also organises two major competitions, the Guernsey International Poetry competition and the Write Stuff writing competition for Bailiwick schools, which this year attracted a record entry.
Presentations for both competitions were held during the festival.
‘We’re so proud of our festival,’ said festival director Claire Allen.
‘Our speakers cover so many subjects that we feel we have something to interest everyone, whether you’re here for a gripping novel, a thought-provoking discussion, or a Mr Men story.’
This year’s speakers included chef Tom Kerridge, Patrick Grant of the Great British Sewing Bee, writer and presenter Dawn O’Porter, human rights campaigner Baroness Shami Chakrabarti, journalists and broadcasters Jon Sopel and John Sweeney, novelist Kit de Waal, musician Roxanne de Bastion, garden designer Adam Frost, children’s authors Robin Stevens and Louie Stowell as well as poets Imtiaz Dharker, Hollie McNish and Michael Pederson.
‘I’d like to thank all our writers and speakers for coming to our festival and our audiences, local and from the UK, for turning up in such numbers and contributing enthusiastically to the success of the events,’ said Mrs Allen.
‘We’re also incredibly grateful to our festival sponsors and partners for helping to ensure we can deliver a high-quality festival experience.
‘And finally—a heartfelt thank you to our brilliant Festival organising team who work throughout the year to plan and organise the festival.
‘And to all the volunteers for chaperoning authors and assisting at events. We simply couldn’t do it without them.’
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