Hannah is chairing three Nature Repair events at the Edinburgh International Book Festival 2025. Held in August at venues in the Edinburgh Futures Institute, the Repair theme is explained by Jenny Niven, the festival’s Director:
“This year’s key theme of Repair starts from the belief that the brilliant ideas of writers and thinkers can help us repair a host of seemingly ‘broken’ things in our society, from the cycle of fast fashion and our relationship with the environment, to cultural reparations and the state of our politics. It’s a statement of hope and resilience, and an invitation for our audiences to think about what repair might mean for them”.
From foraging to seed saving, and the joy of rediscovering nature, Adam Alexander, Andy Hamilton, and Mo Wilde offer practical wisdom and philosophical insights. Alexander’s The Accidental Seed Heroes, Hamilton’s New Wild Order, and Wilde’s Free Food each offer a unique perspective on our relationship with the natural world. Join them for a wide-ranging discussion about how cultivating a deeper connection with nature might be the key to saving us all. Chaired by Hannah on Monday 18th August 1130-1230, the event can be booked here.
Mushrooms can be misunderstood, even feared, so when Margaret Atwood said at last year’s Festival, ‘mushrooms are going to be big in the future’, we knew we needed to go deeper. They’re used as food, building material, positive environmental disrupters, and have therapeutic use too; their spores may even affect local weather patterns and promote rainfall. Today, visual artist, composer, and author Siôn Parkinson (Stinkhorn) talks with mycologist Nicholas P Money (Molds, Mushrooms and Medicines) about the hidden role of fungi inside and all around us. Chaired by Hannah on Monday 18th August 1500-1600, the event can be booked here.
Chantal Lyons‘ Wainwright Prize-shortlisted Groundbreakers investigates the wild boar’s dramatic re-emergence in Britain after seven centuries, while in To Have or to Hold, Sophie Pavelle examines eight symbiotic relationships in nature to demonstrate the critical interconnections between ecosystems. They’re joined by photographer and rewilding thought leader, Peter Cairns, to share their deep understanding of what we’re lucky to have in nature and how to repair the damage done. Chaired by Hannah on Wednesday 20th August 1000-1100, the event can be booked here.