With Griff Rhys Jones, Libby Purves, Sophie Neville and more… including you?

Arthur Ransome’s “We Didn’t Mean to Go to Sea” is absolutely key to both our own purpose in the Nancy Blackett Trust and his period in Suffolk during which it was written – so what better way to conclude the summer of Ransome activities on the Shotley peninsula than an event that puts the book itself centre-stage, 80 years after its publication?

How to sign up to read a chapter

On Saturday 21st October we’ll be reading the book aloud, from beginning to end, in one continuous session, over about eight hours, with each chapter (or part-chapter) taken by a different reader. Some big names – including Griff Rhys Jones, Libby Purves, Julia Jones (with Francis Wheen), Christina Hardyment and Sophie Neville – have signed up already, but this is an event for ordinary Ransome fans, such as Nancy Blackett Trust members, so, if you’re interested, please contact Peter Willis here.

The reading will take place at Pin Mill Sailing Club, of which Ransome himself was a member, from 9am. Readers can drop in just for their chapter, or longer as they please, and spectators are welcome to come and go during the day.

And spend the evening with Griff Rhys Jones…

Griff Rhys Jones will also be doing a charity performance of his new one-man show in the evening (with dinner) just up the Orwell at the Suffolk Food Hall – more details here.