In April this year, we were delighted to curate and host our very first reading retreat at the stunning member’s club and hotel, Birch. 

During this exclusive two day escape, we made space and time for our retreat go-ers to disconnect from their busy lives and reconnect with other like minded people to chat all things books and beyond. 

The retreat started with welcome drinks and a book swap where attendees wrote personal recommendations and bought a copy of a book to help others discover new authors and genres. After some free time to enjoy the beautiful grounds, we regrouped for some drinks and  Q+A with Women’s Fiction Prize Longlisted author Cecile Pin to discuss her debut novel Wandering Souls! This was followed by a supper club meal prepared by the talented chefs at Birch and accompanied by delicious Pink Diesel Rosé wine. It was a great opportunity for everyone to relax and enjoy some delicious food and conversation. To wind down after a busy afternoon of activities, we put on an optional screening of book to film adaptation Where The Crawdads sing. 

On the second day, we gave guests another opportunity to enjoy some more free time by reading, booking a massage, taking a Pilates class or having a dip in the Lido! We regrouped just before lunch to host a novel writing masterclass with Kate Maxwell, author of Hush, which was a hugely valuable learning experience for some of our aspiring writers in the group! After a buffet lunch, we finished off the day with a Q+A with Chloe Ashby, author of Wet Paint.

As well as all of the programming throughout our retreat, we curated a goody bag that included a personalised book stack, reading journals from Papier, Freesoul Vitamins, HU Chocolate, Orelia earrings to name a few!

We absolutely loved curating this experience and bringing together a welcoming and inclusive community of book lovers and foodies! Our retreat go-ers said they left feeling energised and inspired so we cannot wait for our Winter Weekender retreat in November! 

Come join us x

​