Hannah Bourne-Taylor | Nature Needs You
Sun 27 Apr 2025 | 4:00pm - 4:00pm
Discover the inspiring story of how Hannah Bourne-Taylor, a young bird lover with no prior campaigning experience, set out to save swifts from extinction in the UK.
Her new book Nature Needs You follows her fight to change the law and make ‘swift bricks’ mandatory in all new buildings, ensuring these summer birds continue to nest in Britain’s walls. This gripping account takes you through her journey—delivering the bold Feather Speech, securing backing from Caroline Lucas and Lord Zac Goldsmith, navigating Parliament, facing online trolling, and gathering 100,000 petition signatures to trigger a debate.
With swift populations plummeting by over 60% since 1995, Hannah’s story is a rallying cry for nature. Passionate, funny, and relentless, Nature Needs You is nature writing at the pace of a thriller – proof that one person’s dedication can spark real change and that passion can be a superpower.
Come to hear Hannah’s story and be inspired to take action for the wildlife on our doorstep, and learn how we should all be working together to save the amazing swift.
Talk length: 1 hour including Q&A, followed by a book signing.
Bookseller: P&G Wells Ltd
The Winchester Cathedral Café is the ideal place to refuel during Winchester Books Festival, only a stones throw away from the Wessex Centre. Open daily from 9.30am – 5.00pm, the menu showcases fresh, local ingredients.
Café information: https://www.winchester-cathedral.org.uk/welcome/cafe/
Choose your tickets:
Venue address: The Wessex Centre, 8A The Cathedral Close, Winchester SO23 9LS
