Today I’m in conversation with Ellie Petrie from Cheltenham Festivals, and I couldn’t wait to find out more about what we can actually see, do and experience at this year’s Cheltenham Literature Festival.
We explore Cheltenham Writes Back, a free storytelling and letter-writing initiative running as part of the 2026 Cheltenham Literature Festival from 9–18 October.
Inspired by The Correspondent by Virginia Evans, the project brings letter writing back into everyday life through pop-up writing stations, community workshops and a public art installation created from letters written locally and around the world, including contributions through the Sunday Letter Project.
Visitors won’t just be able to read the letters either they can sit down, respond and become part of the story themselves, creating an ongoing exchange between strangers, places and experiences.
We also talk about the wider festival programme, including the Fragments Poetry Trail, family activities, book swaps, discussion spaces, personalised recommendations from the Book Doctor and some of the more unusual ticketed events taking place across Cheltenham.
At the heart of it all is something beautifully simple: slowing down, putting pen to paper, sharing stories and creating real human connection in an increasingly digital world.
If the Sunday Letter Project catches your interest, you can also listen back to my conversation with its founder, Rebecca, in one of last year’s episodes, where we explored the story behind the project and the enduring power of writing and receiving letters.
Maybe this is your invitation to write a letter of your own, to someone you love, someone you miss, or even someone you haven’t met yet. Put pen to paper, say what matters, and see where the connection takes you.
Who is Kelly Saward?
Kelly has been presenting radio shows for a while, and has often been asked if these shows can be heard again many months after the show has aired, listeners wanting to listen again. She heard what was being asked and now brings to you …
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Kelly Saward in Conversation with ...
