On Stage
You cannot stroll the rolling fields of Henham Park at Latitude, without acknowledging the beauty of the nature around the festival. A long-time Suffolk resident, Martha Kearney holds a profound love for the countryside and regularly walks at Redgrave and Lopham Fen, a wetland landscape owned by the Suffolk Wildlife Trust.
Since stepping down from The Today Programme last year, she has focused more deeply on nature, continuing her work with BBC Radio 4 through Open Country and This Natural Life. In This Natural Life, Kearney meets guests such as Cate Blanchett, Martin Clunes, and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall at meaningful outdoor locations where they reflect on nature and its impact on their lives. Her passion for the natural world is further demonstrated in her television work, including The Wonder of Bees and The Great Butterfly Adventure, as well as her live reports from Antarctica and the Arctic for Today, where she covered scientific research in remote environments.
The day will feature an inspiring series of panels and discussions exploring the profound connections between nature, literature, and wellbeing. Attendees can look forward to engaging talks on Britain’s birdlife and the vital role these creatures play in our ecosystems, alongside thoughtful explorations of how immersion in the natural world supports mental health and personal restoration. The programme will also examine practical approaches to nature campaigning and environmental advocacy, empowering participants to become agents of positive change.
A special focus will be given to the work of the late Ronald Blythe, one of Suffolk’s most cherished literary figures, whose book Akenfield remains a landmark reflection on English rural life. The day will include reflections on Blythe’s deep-rooted connection to the Stour Valley and his home at Bottengoms Farm. Through these conversations, the event will explore how literature, place, and nature interweave to shape both individual well-being and a shared environmental consciousness.
Martha said, “I’ve been coming to Latitude for close to 20 years and love the way the festival has always celebrated writing as well as music. It will be brilliant to introduce so many talented nature writers to a broader audience”