Meet our team
Carol
Carol has lived in Clevedon since 1988 and has been a member of many community groups and organisations throughout that time. As one of the founding members of the Community Bookshop in Copse Road, Carol enjoyed organising events in the shop and over many years has been part of the Clevedon Marine Lake Festival which used to be held annually at the seafront.
Carol brings administration skills and local knowledge to the team.
Isabel
Isabel has performed with Apples and Snakes; Global Fusion Music & Arts: at Shakespeare & Co in Paris; in Rotterdam; at Brighton Festival Fringe, Keats Festival, London Jazz Festival, local festivals in and around London, in Bristol, Chichester, Guildford, Hastings, Manchester, Margate, Oxford, Portsmouth, Reading, Swansea. She was runner up in the 2013 and 2017 BBC Radio 3 Proms Poetry Competitions; a finalist in nine other competitions, and shortlisted for the 2017 Bridport Prize.
A keen writer, Isabel has been poet-in-residence at First Stop in Darlington, Platform-7 in Margate and London, Urban Photofest at Goldsmiths London, and for the St Bride Foundation. Her work continues with collaborations with Oxford, Sussex and Lancaster universities on initiatives funded by the Arts & Humanities Research Council and with three full collections and a pamphlet to her name, Isabel’s poetry and short stories have been widely published – by the BBC and in 17 books and journals to date.
Isabel founded poetry performance collective www.alarms and excursions.com in 2009, to produce and direct provocations on a variety of topics.
Jayne
Moving to Clevedon in 2019 fulfilled a long-held ambition for Jayne – to live by the coast.
Jayne joined the Festival team in 2022 and co-ordinated the volunteers that year. She now primarily looks after the LitFest website and communications. Being involved with the LitFest has given Jayne the opportunity to brush up on old skills and learn new ones. Even more importantly, it has introduced her to some fantastic people and the opportunity to contribute to the cultural life of Clevedon.
Julie
Julie has a background in teaching and business administration, joined her first writing group 24 years ago, and moved to Clevedon five years ago. After winning the 2023 More Than Words short story competition she was keen to support Clevedon Litfest in its mission to foster local enjoyment of the written and spoken word in all its forms, and subsequently joined the charity as a Trustee in early 2024.
Paul
Paul is a father of four, primary school teacher and poet. He grew up in Cornwall and now resides in North Somerset. Paul has had work published in a variety of places including Black Nore, Dreich Magazine, The Frogmore Papers, Ink, Sweat & Tears, Morning Star, Obsessed with Pipework and Orbis. His debut pamphlet 'In the Shadows' will be published in September 2024. Paul became a LitFest Trustee in early 2024.
Maureen
Clevedon Literary Festival have supported Clevedon Community Bandstand since they launched as part of the More Than Words Festival in 2021.
Maureen has an interest in shared public space and made a documentary called Instrument of Change: Street Piano about the effect that the street pianos have on communities. Music in public spaces creates connection and community and this is sorely needed. Literature, the arts and music are a form of social medicine. The Community Bandstand have been support by Clevedon BID to put on more events around Clevedon, appearing in Queens Square especially, as well as the Bandstand.
Maureen moved to Clevedon in between lockdowns in 2020 and noticed the silent empty bandstand. She chatted with her friend, Cinzia Apreda, about this situation and both felt it would be great to have music up there, on this purpose-built outdoor music venue which was being under-used!She has a background as a counsellor and running a business, is a mum and grandmother, and is, all the time, learning more about being a human being.
Nicky
Nicky was approached by the Clevedon Literary Festival committee in 2019 to take up the role of Company Secretary, and now takes care of everything to do with ticketing.
Nicky grew up in Clevedon. She joined the Foreign Office after leaving school and following a peripatetic career, firstly in the Foreign Office and then in the oil and gas industry, returning to her hometown some years ago. Nicky still loves to travel!