Rochester Literature Festival

We’re back with Medway Women’s History Month and the dates you need to save are Saturday 28th February and Saturday 28th March.

Headlining the first day on 28th February is the legendary record breaking yachtswoman, TRACY EDWARDS, MBE.

Tracy created and skippered the first all-woman crew to sail around the world when they raced in the 1989/90 WRTWR, and became the first woman in its 34 year history to be awarded the Yachtsman of the Year Trophy.

Tracy currently runs The Maiden Factor Foundation with the focus on getting girls into education with the ultimate aim of financial autonomy.

Our very own Julia Williams will be hosting the chat with Tracy and tickets will be available shortly.

The opening event on 28th February features three very different but equally inspiring women.

Come along and be galvanised into action by ANN WEST MBE JP DL, former Chair of the North Kent Magistrates Bench, Kent Ambassador, a Chatham Historic Dockyard Ambassador and a Patron and Trustee of a number of local charities, including our venue, The Net Community Hub.

Next up is MARY ENIOLU who founded Can-Do Academy, empowering individuals and organisations to enhance performance, productivity and profitability without compromising well-being.

Finally, the insanely talented BEV BUNN will share her creative journey and finish with her latest endeavour – stand up comedy! Bev made her debut at Edinburgh Fringe in 2025 and is already booked for the Comedy Store again in 2026.

Between the opening event and Tracy, we have a hard-hitting panel disussion: The Commodification of Women’s Bodies, and the harms done to women via pornography, prostitution and surrogacy. Contrary to popular belief, most women do not choose these pathways. They are coerced or trafficked or desperate.

Join journalist and co-author of Pornocracy, JO BARTOSCH, in conversation with AMANDA QUICK from Nordic Model Now and ANNAIG BIRDY of Not All Gays.

Moving on to the 28th March, we have Kent and Medway women in business discussing if the glass ceiling has been well and truly broken, with networking before and after. Hosting the panel will be SIAN MURPHY (Women in Business Big Show and Radio Show) and she’ll be joined by DEBORAH TURNER (Breakthrough Women) MICHELE YIANNI (Future Insight), ADELLE MARTIN (Stronger Together Through Cancer) and GRACE KELLY (North Kent and Medway Women in Business – plus food, flooring and so much more!).

Our final event is with LISSA EVANS, author of seven delightful novels, including Their Finest Hour and a Half (filmed as Their Finest) and the trilogy comprising Crooked Heart, the best-selling Old Baggage, and V for Victory. Her recent book, Small Bomb at Dimperley, is set in a large country house just after the war.

Two of her four books for children, Small Change for Stuart and Wed Wabbit, were shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal. Lissa has a background in TV comedy, and last year published a reminiscence about her time as the producer of the iconic sitcom ‘Father Ted’, entitled ‘Picnic on Craggy Island’.

All the events will take place at The Net Community Hub, 70 Silverweed Road, Walderslade ME5 0QX. Tickets will be released soon and the ticket price will include tea and coffee.

If you have difficulty due to mobility or finance issues attending the hub, please contact Jaye at: community@waldersladehub.org as there is a travel bursary available to people living in Medway.

For further information regarding events for Medway Women’s History Month, please subscribe to our Substack here.

Last year’s events were amazing – visit our Youtube channel here to hear our inspiring speakers.

We look forward to seeing you 🙂