Nationally-renowned speakers are coming to Sussex for the Steyning Festival, May 22-31.

Adrian Gobat, one of the trustees, talks you through them:

Guaranteed garden success: Start with Soil with Juliet Sargeant, May 24, 6pm-7.30pm: “Award-winning garden designer Juliet Sargeant has the knowledge you need to get growing – by taking your soil seriously. Keen gardeners will know Juliet from her books and TV and radio appearances. If you’re struggling to get the best out of your garden, or wondering how to begin creating one, let Juliet be your guide.”

Transgender Anglican Priest: The Reality, the Questions and some of the Answers with Sarah Jones, May 25, 6pm-7.30pm: “The Rev Sarah Jones, vicar of a central Cardiff parish, is the first transwoman to be ordained in the Anglican Church. In this talk she will describe her personal journey of transition and ordination, including being outed by the media after her ordination and how her faith supported her. Suitable for age 16+.”

The ethics of bringing the Holocaust into the Gaza war: Why I changed my position – Anne Karpf, May 26, 6pm-7.30pm: “Anne Karpf is the daughter of holocaust survivors and one of thousands of Jews who hate the genocide in Gaza. She is highly critical of the Netanyahu regime. A writer, medical sociologist and award-winning journalist, in 2008 she was a founder member of Independent Jewish Voices, arguing that the polemicising of the Holocaust traduced the memory of the millions who perished. However, over the past two years, she has been demonstrating in support of Palestinians under the banner Holocaust Survivors and Descendents Against Gaza Genocide. In her talk she will explain why she changed her mind and tell us about the ongoing horrors in Gaza.”

Alone in the jungle with Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent, May 26, 7.45pm-9.30pm: “Record-breaking and award-winning explorer, writer and broadcaster Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent talks to Nigel Hartley about her various solo expeditions from tracing the remains of the Ho Chi Minh Trail to exploring the Eastern Himalayas on foot and by motorbike. Antonia specialises in telling stories about threatened people, places and wildlife, with a particular focus on Central Asia and the mountainous areas of north-east India. Expect tales of tigers, shamans, unexploded bombs and more.”

Mind Matters: Practical strategies for fostering mental wellness within our communities with Sarah Hughes, May 27, 6pm-7.15pm: “We are facing a tsunami of mental-health problems especially for children and young people but talking about mental health isn’t easy. As a society, we shy away from these conversations out of fear of being rejected. Research shows this silence can have a real negative impact, pushing people into isolation and making daily life more challenging. Sarah Hughes, chief executive of the mental health charity MIND, explains what we must do within our communities to recognise, understand and support those with mental-health issues.”

Sustainable farming is not a sacrifice; it’s an investment in a better future with Patrick Holden, Rachel Phillips, Tom Daniell, Jeremy Kerswell, May 27, 7.30pm-9pm: “Britain’s farming and food systems are arguably the greatest single influence on the health of our climate, nature and people. Yet for more than fifty years farming has become intensive and extractive, with devastating negative impacts. A panel of experts, Patrick Holden, CEO of the Sustainable Food Trust, Rachel Phillips, CEO of the Apricot Centre, and Tom Daniell, founder of Old Tree Brewery, Glynde, chaired by Jeremy Kerswell, principal of Plumpton College, will explore how it might be possible for this to change and, if so, which barriers will need to be overcome.”

Separating fact from fiction on Muslims, Migration and Multiculturalism with Taj Ali

May 28, 7.45pm-9.15pm: “Summer 2024 saw a rise in racist rioting and racist hate crime. In this talk we will hear from Taj Ali, a widely-published journalist and historian and regular panellist on BBC Politics Live. He will describe the history of racism in this country and discuss some of the myths about Muslims, migration and multiculturalism.”

Everything is changing – Polly Toynbee in conversation with Malcolm Rifkind & David Willetts, May 29, 6pm-7.30pm: “After this year’s May elections, what comes next? Polly Toynbee, award-winning political correspondent, broadcaster and author, will discuss the implications of the election results with former Foreign Secretary Malcom Rifkind, and former Paymaster General David Willetts.”