Image Credit: The Lake District Book Festival
There’s something rather special about seeing young people become genuinely excited about books.
Last weekend, a Trustee from The David Snowdon Trust had the pleasure of attending the inaugural Lake District Book Festival at Cartmel Racecourse, a three-day celebration of literature, ideas and conversation that brought together acclaimed authors, journalists, politicians and readers from across the country.
The Trust was proud to support this exciting new cultural event through grant funding, recognising how closely it reflects our commitment to Higher Education, Social Needs and the Arts.
Image Credit: The Lake District Book Festival
One of the most inspiring aspects of the festival wasn’t found on the main stage—it was the remarkable enthusiasm shown by the young volunteers helping to make the event happen.
Around 80% of the festival stewards were under the age of 18, with pupils from local schools volunteering throughout the weekend. Students from Barrow were so engaged by the experience that they asked if they could stay longer on Saturday and even return on Sunday morning. Additional funding was quickly secured for their coach travel so they could continue taking part.
When asked what they had enjoyed most, their responses were refreshingly simple:
“It was exciting, interesting and different. We listened to talks, looked at books in the bookshop and met all sorts of people.”
Their enthusiasm perfectly captured the spirit of the festival.
Image Credit: The Lake District Book Festival
Throughout the weekend, students had the opportunity to hear from an impressive programme of speakers, including authors, journalists and public figures discussing everything from children’s literature and Beatrix Potter to world affairs, British history and contemporary politics. One memorable moment saw David Lammy stop to chat with a group of the young volunteers—a conversation they are unlikely to forget.
David Lammy. Image Credit: The Lake District Book Festival
Beyond the inspiring talks, the festival also celebrated Cumbria itself, with local businesses providing food and drink throughout the event. Even the rain couldn’t dampen spirits—or spoil the excellent local ice cream!
Festival organisers have said, they hope the Lake District Book Festival will become an annual fixture in Cumbria’s cultural calendar, inspiring future generations of readers, writers and thinkers.
For The David Snowdon Trust, the festival demonstrated exactly why supporting opportunities like this matters. It offered young people experiences beyond the classroom, encouraged curiosity and confidence, introduced them to new ideas, and connected them with authors and speakers they might never otherwise have met.
Perhaps the most telling moment of the weekend came when one of the organisers took time to speak with the students from Barrow who had asked to return on the Sunday morning.
Michael Heseltine talking to his daughter Annabel.
Image Credit: The Lake District Book Festival
When young people choose to spend a weekend at a book festival because they simply don’t want to miss out, it reminds us of the lasting impact that opportunities like these can have.
We are delighted to have played a small part in supporting the inaugural Lake District Book Festival and wish the organisers every success as they look ahead to making this a much-loved annual event for Cumbria.
We look forward to seeing what the next chapter brings.
The David Snowdon Trust is proud to support projects that inspire learning, strengthen communities and celebrate the arts across Cumbria. To find out more about the work of other fantastic organisations, follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn.