ReadFest 2026: ONCE IN ESSEX, NOW IN LONDON with Andrew Summers
An illustrated talk on how parts of Essex became London in 1965, exploring shifting borders, history, rivers & the impact on local identity.
An illustrated talk exploring how parts of Essex became London in 1965, the history of local councils, and the role of rivers like the Lea, Roding and Rom in shaping identity.
Through maps, images and short videos, Andrew Summers reflects on how a thousand years of boundaries changed overnight and what this means for communities today.
Click here to find out more about Essex Hundred Publications.
If you have any accessibility requirements, please directly get in touch with us at pentoprint@lbbd.gov.uk
Booking is essential and you will be asked to present your booking confirmation upon arrival.
Pen to Print and our partners reserve the right to remove participants who are disruptive to a session.
NB: May feature content that some people may find upsetting, uses language or depicts scenes reflecting attitudes that are no longer seen as acceptable.
Pen to Print shall not be liable to attendees for any injury, loss or damage of or to personal equipment belonging to the attendees or any indirect or consequential loss or damage whatsoever arising out of the attendance of the event
Pen to Print reserves the right to cancel, delay or postpone the event for any reason, including adverse weather conditions, an emergency situation or unforeseen or unavoidable circumstances out of its reasonable control. In such cases, the event organiser will endeavour to inform participants as quickly as is possible.
Barking and Dagenham Libraries and Pen to Print are proud to present the fifteenth annual literary festival, running from Saturday 12 September to Saturday 19 September.
This year’s festival offers a vibrant mix of in‑person, online and hybrid events, celebrating the power of storytelling and the joy of reading, as part of our contribution to the National Year of Reading.
This festival is proudly supported by the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham and Arts Council England, funded by the UK Government.
The National Year of Reading 2026 is a UK-wide campaign designed to inspire people to make reading a regular part of their lives.
We all understand the benefits of reading and how it expands our minds, builds confidence and fuels creativity, yet fewer people are doing it. With growing distractions and limited time, reading for pleasure is declining across many groups.
This national campaign aims to change this by reconnecting reading with everyday culture. It is not about guilt or obligation, it is about showing that stories, ideas and imagination have a place in everyone’s daily life. Click here to find out more!
