Green Farm supports the Wealden Literary Festival

Green Farm Spa & Retreats is proud to support the Wealden Literary Festival this year with its focus on wellbeing, nature and conservation. There are just two weeks to go until Wealden Literary Festival returns to the small village of Woodchurch in Kent with a line-up including some of the UKs best-loved nature writers, authors and conservationists. The festival, which takes place on 29-30 June at Boldshaves Garden, is a celebration of literature, art, crafts and produce inspired by the natural world. Green Farm is a small farm estate also deep in the Kent countryside in the idyllic Shadoxhurst conservation area, surrounded by 12,500 acres of ancient woodland & traditional pastures. An eclectic mix of wonderful experiences comes together at Green Farm: wellbeing retreats, the small private farm spa including exclusive spa stays, the holiday barn and the outdoor farm setting. As a finalist in The Good Spa Guide Spa Awards 2018 as Best Spa for Wellness, Green Farm Spa & Retreats fits perfectly within WLF’s ethos and program of events this year which includes Peter Marren, one of the country’s most celebrated naturalists, discussing his latest book, Emperors, Admirals and Chimney Sweepers, the first comprehensive guide to the names of butterflies and moths. A highlight of the festival will be a panel debate on issues concerning the relationship between the land, wildlife and people. Chaired by Jean McNeil (author of Ice Diaries) the debate will involve leading figures from the world of nature, conservation and agriculture: Isabella Tree, the pioneering founder of the re-wilding project at Knepp Estate, a story which she tells in her inspirational book Wilding; Mark Cocker, one of the UK’s foremost conservationists and nature writers whose latest book Our Place asks whether we can save Britain’s wildlife before it is too late; Jake Fiennes, a celebrated and innovative conservationist, currently General Manager of Conservation at Holkham Estate; Andrew Clark, the NFU’s Director of Policy. Green Farm, through The Pearce Coggan Foundation (charitable status applied for), is committed to the protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment of the ancient woodlands and wealden meadows around Shadoxhurst by engaging with wildlife and conservation charities on landscape scale conservation. PCF also works with specialist charities such as The Outdoor People (outdoorpeople.org.uk) to provide opportunities for inner city kids to be outdoors and active in the countryside. Green Farm also hosts annually Sam Lee’s Singing with Nightingales evenings that celebrate the beauty of the nightingale and the special natural environment that allows it to thrive in the area (www.singingwithnightingales.com). Green Farm Spa & Retreats is offering a special “spa stay festival package” that includes a specially priced 24-hour spa stay at Green Farm so that a day of inspiring talks, creativity, wellbeing and outdoor adventures becomes a weekend of nature-inspired self-care. Wealden Literary Festival was founded by husband and wife team, Andrew and Laura Willan, as a way for people to escape the pace of modern life and embrace the simplicity of the natural world. Andrew said: “Spending time outdoors has always been an inspiration to us. The festival is about bringing together some of the things we love – from thought-provoking books about the natural world and beautiful art to delicious food and traditional crafts – and creating a magical weekend where we can all pause and take time to appreciate what is around us.”