Bermondsey Literary Festival 2025

bermondsey literary festival 2025

Literary Festival: Bermondsey and Beyond

Dates: March 6th – March 16th, 2025

The inaugural Bermondsey and Beyond Literature Festival is not to be missed! From March 6th to 16th, attendees are invited to celebrate literature and the remarkable talent within the community.

This exciting event is completely free and features a diverse range of activities for everyone. Whether participants prefer cosy indoor events or adventurous outdoor activities, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

As a community-driven initiative, this festival aims to showcase local voices and talents through the power of literature. It presents a wonderful opportunity for individuals to come together, celebrate, and support one another.

To stay updated, interested individuals can join the mailing list by clicking here or by emailing us.

Celebrate World Book Day with storytelling, chats and making book

Preschool Age

  • 13.00 – 15.00: Little Me Nursery will arrive at 13.00 to bring a handful of children onsite for animated book reading. The nursery staff will deliver the animated book reading. We will open the space to local parents with children under 5. With some of the favourites: The Gruffalo, The Tiger Who Came to Tea, The Hungry Caterpillar and The Bear Hunt.
  • 13.00 – 14.00: Reading and Storytelling with your Little Me Day Nursery
    • Afterschool Activity: 15.30– 17.00: Morayo will deliver an arts and crafts session for 15 primary school children who will register through Eventbrite.
    • 15.30pm – 16.30pm:  Making book marks activity
  • 14.00 – 15.00: Chats, drawing, nursery rhymes

Afterschool Activity Age

  • 15.30– 17.00: Morayo will deliver an arts and crafts session for 15 primary school children who will register through Eventbrite.
  • 15.30pm – 16.30pm:  Making book marks activity
  • 14.00 – 15.00: Chats, drawing, nursery rhymes

please register by cliking here 

The Bermondsey Murder with Dr. Angela Buckley

The Bermondsey Murder’ – an illustrated talk about the shocking ‘Manning Murder’ by noted crime historian Dr. Angela Buckley. ‘If you love true crime and love history, this is the perfect choice for you. Very well written with plenty of references to explore, this is a wonderful addition to anyone’s true crime library’ – Net Galley

Browse the display of fantastic books at Morocco Bound Bookshop stall in the market.

Down The Blue Guided Tour

Down The Blue’ – an informal and friendly guided walk looking back in time at Bermondsey’s famous road, led by Debra Gosling, local historian and artist.

Dear Tommy: a talk by writer and film-maker Michael Holland

Writer and film-maker Michael Holland will talk about Bermondsey and Rotherhithe in the Golden Age of Postcards. ‘This beautiful book…allows us a precious and intimate glimpse into the 6×4 inch amber that postcards must surely be…’ – Ed Gray

Toddler Shake & Boogie: The Three Little Pigs

  • Tuesday 11 March
  • From 9:30 – 11:30am
  • Free
  • Appleby Blue Almshouses, 94-116, Southwark Park Road, London SE16 3RR

Join Dawn and Ellie for a book-themed session filled with adventure, fun and games. Drop-in with your children under five and read all about The Three Little Pigs plus enjoy some songs, arts and crafts.

  • Age: Under 5s

Open mic poetry session.

Rotherhithe Voices

An open mic evening of spoken word, song, and music, centred around this month’s theme ‘The Thames’. Launched in 2015, Rotherhithe Voices is hosted by Alison Clayburn, a local creative writing tutor, and offers an inclusive, welcoming platform for both seasoned and new voices in the community

Visit to the Peek Frean Museum in The Biscuit Factory

  • Saturday 15 March
  • From 13:00
  • Free
  • Meet at The Biscuit Factory, Gate 1, 100, Drummond Road, SE16 4DG.

A must visit to the unique Peek Frean Museum to enjoy a talk by Gary Magold, co-curator and volunteer and browse the collection such as the Biscuit Box 1925-1975,a glimpse of the Peek Frean staff magazine.’

Peek Freans Museum, is a treasure trove of biscuit heritage and colourfully decorated tins glitter in cabinets.

Bookmaking workshop with Amanda Boachie

Join in for a bookmaking workshop led by Amanda Boachie, founder of FORTY-FOUR WORDS. Participants will use needles and make knots. Children must be accompanied by adults.

Bermondsey Literary Festival Finale

Presentation of prizes for the 16+ poetry competition.

Talk by Sarah Bax Horton on her book Arm of Eve, investigating the Thames Torso Murders’. Jack the Ripper is often called the world’s most notorious unidentified killer, but he was not the first modern serial killer on the streets of London; before him there was another murderer who hunted from the River Thames – one arguably more sadistic and mercurial.

The Thames Torso Killer has always lurked in the Ripper’s shadow, despite the fact he murdered and dismembered at least four people over two years. He started to kill in 1887, over a year before the Ripper, and his last murder was in 1889, almost ten months after the death of Mary Jane Kelly, the Ripper’s last victim. In Arm of Eve, Sarah Bax Horton conducts her own investigation and uses modern criminal profiling to come up with her own suspect – a known criminal who knew the Thames like the back of his hand. There is a Bermondsey connection to this case

www.biglocalworks.org.uk/literary-festival-bermondsey-and-beyond/

Supported by Blue Bermondsey BID, Big Local Works, The Blue Market, Southwark Park 1869

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