Explore gardening, hope and healing with food writer Kathy Slack at West Bridgford Library

Kathy will be discussing how growing her own food in a quiet kitchen garden became a lifeline during a dark period in her life. In this inspiring author talk, she’ll reflect on the solace, hope and joy she found through reconnecting with nature. This moving and heartfelt event offers a reminder of the powerful role gardening can play in helping us find calm, connection and purpose, even in the hardest of times. The event is perfect for those interested in gardening, but also food, and the overall joy of finding peace in simple things. Readers may know Kathy from her cookbook From the Veg Patch, which was named one of the Top 25 cookbooks in 2021 by Delicious magazine, and was shortlisted for The Guild of Food Writers Award for Best Cookbook 2022. 

Kathy will be joined in conversation by Annie Warren, a Midlands-based writer, editor, and photographer. Annie’s fiction has been shortlisted for several awards, and she edited The Rough Guide to LGBTQ+ Friendly Places in Europe, the first queer travel guide of its kind. She’s also a romance editor for Mills & Boon, where she works with a range of bestselling authors. Having been one of the featured writers in Inspire’s I Am a Writer programme as well as more recently the host for the I Am A Creator podcast, Annie brings creativity and insight to this special event, guiding the conversation as Kathy shares her story of finding healing and joy through gardening.

Kathy’s visit is linked with Unearthed: The Power of Gardening, a new exhibition exploring the transformative and sometimes radical role of gardening in people’s lives. Unearthed will open at Mansfield Central Library (2 May – 30 May), before moving on to Beeston Library (6 June – 5 July) and Kirkby-in-Ashfield Library (11 July – 9 August). Items from Nottinghamshire Archives collections will add a home-grown element alongside the main exhibition, allowing visitors to dig into fascinating local history inspired by gardening themes.

The Unearthed programme at Inspire includes a rich line-up of activities for all ages. Highlights include:

• A natural history photography talk with Alex Hyde at Beeston Library (Wednesday 2 July), where he’ll share the incredible hidden world of fungi on our doorsteps, alongside his Fungi Up Close exhibition (available Friday 13 June – Wednesday 23 July)
• A family screening of The Bee Movie at Beeston Library (Saturday 21 June).
• Children’s activities such as the Summer Reading Challenge 2025: Story Garden, launching on 5 July, and a special Rattle, Rhyme & Roll session with Peter Rabbit at Mansfield Central and Kirkby-in-Ashfield Libraries (Tuesday 13 May).

Artist and Author in Residence Michelle Reader and Leanne Moden have also collaborated with primary schools in Mansfield and Ashfield to create artwork for the Seed exhibition, exploring how planting ideas can inspire both artworks and writing. Families can join free workshops with Michelle and Leanne this summer.

Whether you’re a lifelong gardener or simply curious about the role of nature in our wellbeing, the Unearthed season is full of opportunities to dig deeper into the joy and meaning of gardening.