All you need to know about Helpston's John Clare Society festival

The theme will be the family and there will be a full programme of activities involving lectures, walks, entertainment and poetry readings.

The John Clare Cottage, on Woodgate, will be open throughout the main day of the festival, Saturday 11 July. A highlight on that day will be an evening concert in St. Boltoph’s church given by the Peterborough Choral Society, the theme of whose programme will be John Clare. So whether you’re a Clare connoisseur, a nature-lover, or simply live in and around Helpston, look out for the talks, poetry, concert, open gardens, artists’ exhibitions, tasty lunches, Morris Dancers, folk music and family activities. And this year is also the 45th anniversary of the John Clare Society, dedicated to increasing knowledge of this wonderful, and increasingly rediscovered, poet.

FRIDAY JULY 10 10.30 – 12.15 “Midsummer Cushions” at St Botolph’s Church. A long standing tradition which involved local schoolchildren. 2 pm “A walk to see Betsey” – c 5 miles, taking in the history of Helpston, Ashton and Bainton. Starting and ending at the Cottage. Elizabeth “Betsey” Newbon was one of John Clare’s earlier love interests. After she set him an ultimatum, he walked out and subsequently met and married Martha. Betsey is buried in St Mary’s Church Bainton churchyard. 6 pm “Poems, Praise and Prayer with John Clare” at St Botolph’s Church. An evening service including many of Clare’s Poems and Psalms, either set to music or read. Featuring: Sabbath Bells, The Peasant Poet, Nature’s Hymn to the Deity, The Instinct of Hope, Psalms 102 and 148. 7 pm Folk night at John Clare Cottage SATURDAY JULY 11 Helpston Local History Group Exhibition “Family” at the Scout Hut. Book sales at the Scout Hut. Open Gardens, Children’s “John Clare Challenge”, Local Artists’ Exhibitions. 9.30 am Meet the John Clare Cottage Team over coffee. 10.30 am John Clare Society AGM at St Botolph’s. 11.30 am President’s Address: introducing a short film “Springtime” by Mike Hobson. 12 noon the Beauvale Recorders at the Cottage, lunches at the Village Hall, Peterborough Morris and Crosskey Clog Morris at the Bluebell Inn 2 pm “Westings Meadow” – family art and natural history fun with Art Pop-Up at the Cottage 2 pm Keynote Speech by Dr David Stewart of Northumbria University – “A Stroll through the Annals” 3 pm Teas at the Village Hall 4 to 5.30 pm Poetry Reading at St Botolph’s – bring your own poem or prose to read 7 pm Peterborough Choral Society in concert at St Botolph’s: “A Walk with John Clare”. Tickets £17 from www.peterboroughchoral.com or on the door. SUNDAY JULY 12 10.30 am “The Flitting” – a walk in the footsteps of John Clare and his family, from Helpston’s John Clare Cottage to Northborough 10.45 am “Café Church” at St Botolph’s Church, Helpston 2.30 to 4.30 pm at Northborough Church: “Martha’s Northborough” with Claire Richardson, James Keech on “The Overseers of the Poor Book” £5 for the two talks.