Lodders sponsors Poetry Festival

Lodders has reaffirmed its commitment to the local literary community by returning as headline sponsor of this year’s Cheltenham Poetry Festival. 

The Festival begins on 9 April 2026, offering over a week of live literature events taking place in multiple settings in and around the historic spa town. The events include workshops and open mic sessions and readings, featuring acclaimed names and rising stars from the world of poetry.  

This year’s theme ‘possessed,’ is aimed at celebrating poetry’s power to enchant and transport, entertain and transform. The lineup features poetry with themes of haunting, enchantment, alchemy, self-possession, ownership, resilience, and comes imbued with a powerful sense of place.  

Highlights of the event include:  

• Rishi Dastidar and David Punter unravel the verses that inspire and haunt them and reveal the techniques that make poetry so compelling.  
• Adam Horovitz discusses Neolithic Gloucestershire, where he reaches for his ancestors to uncover the deep connections between humanity and place.  
• Gregory Leadbetter discusses the power of poetry to illuminate everyday life and serve as a portal into deeper mysteries. 

Dawn Oliver, partner in the Private Client team at Lodders, commented: “As a business with roots firmly in Cheltenham, Lodders is proud to support events that bring the community together. Our long-standing connection with the Cheltenham Poetry Festival makes our return as headline sponsors especially meaningful, and we very much look forward to championing an event that plays such an important role in the cultural life of the town.” 

Anna Saunders, CEO of the Cheltenham Poetry Festival, said: “We are absolutely delighted to welcome Lodders back as the headline sponsor of the 2026 Cheltenham Poetry Festival. Lodders’ support will enable us to continue celebrating creativity and community in extraordinary ways, to offer a world-class live literature event, and to make our 15th year a very special one.” 

For more information on the Festival, visit: www.cheltenhampoetryfestival.co.uk/