Festival Team
Meet the dedicated team behind Budleigh Literary Festival.
Dame Hilary Mantel 1952-2022
The sudden death of Dame Hilary Mantel was a sad shock for the Budleigh Community. Hilary had been a supportive and involved President of the Budleigh Salterton Literary Festival for many years and was always interested in our programme and supportive of our plans. She was committed to the extent that she had intended to remain as President despite her plans to move to Ireland. She even donated to our literacy events in schools the money raised from the sale of the desk on which she wrote her twice Booker Prize-winning Cromwell trilogy . She supported emerging writers enthusiastically and always generously championed the work of other authors.
She was charming, kind, funny and always interested. We will miss her beyond measure. The world has lost a hugely talented writer, and a warm, generous-hearted woman. Budleigh Salterton has lost a friend. Our hearts go out to her husband Gerald and her family at this very sad time.
About Budleigh Literary Festival
