OUR 2026 HEADLINER
Lemn Sissay OBE
17:00 - 18:00
Spend time with a master of the spoken word, seven years a chancellor, official poet of the London Olympics, Honorary fellow of Oxford and Cambridge colleges, winner of 2024 Hay festival medal for poetry, and a three times Sunday Times best seller.
Lemn Sissay is a poet, playwright, memoirist and broadcaster. He has performed throughout the world from The Library of Congress in The United States to the national Theatre of Ethiopia in Addis Ababa to London Palladium in England. His television documentaries have been nominated for Grierson BAFTA and RTS awards. His work in radio has been nominated for Sony and Palm D’Ors.
FEATURED ARTISTS
Hannah Scott
16:30 - 17:00
The best stories make us feel deeply and in the 15 years she has been writing and performing, Hannah has become an exceptional storyteller. Her music is shaped by human connections, with family, in all its chaos and glory, sitting at the heart of her work. Her lyrics are powerful and poignant, and her voice feels strangely familiar, though you can’t quite put your finger on why. Her writing may be deeply personal but her music has a universal appeal that goes beyond the melodies you catch yourself humming in the days after listening to her songs.
Malaika Kegode
15:00 - 15.30
Malaika Kegode is an award-winning writer, performer and theatre-maker based in Bristol.
She creates work across poetry, theatre, music and radio, with live performance credits
including Southbank Centre, Lyric Hammersmith and WOMAD. Her work explores
unexpected rural stories, celebrating overlooked communities through cross-disciplinary
collaboration.
Will Rendle
14:00 - 14:30
Will Rendle has spent the last 14 years touring the world as the lead singer and ringleader of wild cult rockers, Will and The People. An effortlessly prolific songwriter, who swings about commenting in his unique manner on the world as he sees it. This band have been to hell and back with their artistic and creative struggles, somehow they have done it willingly.
This shows in the beautiful effervescence of songs like "Gigantic" and new upcoming single "Falling Down" ... With Will ...there's always a sense of hope and joy surrounding him, woven together with an air of light hearted humour and at times fragility that becomes endearing Will can work a crowd and when he's on his own the dynamics are different to that of Will and The People. Yet he still retains that ability to charm and surprise.
CELEBRATING POETRY, COMMUNITY AND HOPE
CELEBRATING POETRY, COMMUNITY AND HOPE
CELEBRATING POETRY, COMMUNITY AND HOPE
On Saturday 27th September 2025, the Where the Light Begins Festival lit up the new outdoor public theatre at Stone Recreational Ground, bringing together over 300 attendees and countless more on the periphery. The festival celebrated poetry as a catalyst for hope, connection, and self-expression, featuring performances by participants from our Writing for Wellbeing Workshops alongside professional poets and headline artists Lemn Sissay and Celia Knapp.
Through diverse voices, the festival fostered cross-sector collaboration, connecting local residents, artists, schools, and the health sector, and inspiring future community wellbeing initiatives.
FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
CELEBRATING POETRY, COMMUNITY AND HOPE
CELEBRATING POETRY, COMMUNITY AND HOPE
Festival attendees were invited to reflect on their experiences:
- 100% felt a renewed sense of hope and stronger connection to their community.
- 80% gained a new understanding of the value of creative self-expression.
- Comments included:
“Loved it, so good this is happening, have really enjoyed Lemn and the other poets.”
“A brilliant event that I hope will be put on again next year…”
THE IMAGINARIUM
COMMUNITY, CREATING, CREATIVITY
COMMUNITY, CREATING, CREATIVITY
A Playful World of Expression for Children & Families
One of the most joyful spaces at the festival, The Imaginarium welcomed children and families into a world of curiosity, creativity, and laughter. At its heart was Emoto-Matic – a brilliantly funny, interactive show blending music, clowning, and audience participation.
Led by a team of delightfully chaotic “scientists,” children watched a live demonstration of how to extract and bottle unwanted emotions, a playful, engaging way to explore feelings and the importance of expressing them. The space was filled with giggles, wide eyes, and moments of genuine emotional learning disguised as fun.
Thank you to the Emoto-Matic team for bringing our children’s and families’ area to life with imagination, warmth, and unforgettable joy.
COMMUNITY, CREATING, CREATIVITY
COMMUNITY, CREATING, CREATIVITY
COMMUNITY, CREATING, CREATIVITY
A Shared Space for Making Meaning
Our Community • Creating • Creativity space invited festivalgoers of all ages to slow down, reflect, and create together. Through hands-on art activities and gentle prompts, visitors explored the theme of hope, what it looks like, feels like, and means in our everyday lives.
Weaving Strands of Hope
Festivalgoers wove their thoughts and feelings into a collaborative artwork using materials like wool and yarn, creating a powerful visual reminder of connection and community.
Thank you to our brilliant creative facilitator Mina Cullimore for transforming this space into a hub of reflection, connection
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We are incredibly grateful to our sponsors and funders
