Saturday 18th January will mark the 130th anniversary of Arthur Ransome's birth. He famously wrote "Swallows and Amazons" in January 1929 after he was given a pair of red Turkish slippers for his 45th birthday. Forty-five years later the film of his iconic children's book was released. This year also celebrates the 40th anniversary of the premiere in Shaftesbury Avenue.

Sophie Neville, who starred in the film, is also a writer and producer whose life, from working for BBC television to travelling throughout Africa and South America, has been influenced by Arthur Ransome rather more than even she had initially realised.

Writing earlier this week, she said:

"How much time I have spent exploring wilderness areas? I’d forgotten that it was the maps in Ransome’s books that attracted me to reading Cartography at university. I went to draw numerous maps all over the world.

I love living outdoors. I love fell walking, mud-flats, and being out on the high seas. I would drop everything to sail to China or the Caribbean tomorrow. I put this down to the fact that my father took us sailing and camping even before I read Ransome’s books. But who influenced Dad? Born in 1929, he was an avid reader of Arthur Ransome and would eagerly wait for the next book about the Swallows and the Amazons to be published. It would be a longed-for Christmas present.

It then occurred to me that John’s careful planning, Susan’s packing, Titty’s log and Roger’s humour still steer my life. The food, the phrases, the urge to travel, became part of my life long ago. I’ve lived under Swallow’s flag."

As part of the 130th anniversary celebrations, Sophie Neville will be giving a talk on Saturday about "The Secrets of Filming Swallows and Amazons" for the Arthur Ransome Society at Shotley Marina.