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Cobham Literary Festival Celebrates Successful Inaugural Weekend



Cobham came alive with the sound of stories, ideas and conversation this weekend as the inaugural Cobham Literary Festival took place from 11–13 September, bringing leading authors, broadcasters, illustrators, poets and readers together for three days of literary events across the town.


Organised by The Cobham Bookshop, the first festival offered an ambitious programme designed to appeal to readers of all ages and interests, with events ranging from crime and espionage to politics, poetry, children’s literature, art, horticulture and new fiction.


The weekend opened with an impressive line-up of speakers and events, including conversations with leading authors and broadcasters, sessions for children and young readers, poetry, crime writing and discussions exploring everything from politics and history to gardens and the natural world. Among the highlights were Clare Balding and Callie Coles in Conversation with Rishi Persad, an evening with historian and author Sir Anthony Seldon, and the ever popular Alex Brycha MBE thrilling children and adults alike with his live illustrations.


With events taking place in venues across Cobham, the festival was designed not simply as a series of author talks, but as a celebration of reading, ideas and creativity at the heart of the local community. The programme brought together established names with emerging writers and offered audiences the chance to meet authors, hear their stories and discover their next favourite book. Phillip Wells, The Fire Poet brought another dimension to the festival with his wonderful interactive ‘pop up’ poetry at a variety of events across the weekend.


Community partnership at the heart of successful first festival


The organisers are particularly grateful to Downs Solicitors, the headline sponsor of the Cobham Literary Festival, whose support was instrumental in helping bring the inaugural event to life. As a new literary festival for Cobham, securing the support of a headline sponsor was an important milestone. Downs’ Solicitors commitment enabled the festival to establish an ambitious programme from its very first year, helping create a new cultural occasion for Cobham and contributing to the town’s growing reputation as a destination for books, conversation and creativity.


The partnership reflects the importance of businesses and organisations investing in the communities in which they operate and supporting initiatives that bring people together.

Amber O’Connor, Joint Managing Partner, Downs Solicitors commented:

“We were delighted to support the first Cobham Literary Festival as headline sponsor. The response from the community has been fantastic, and it has been wonderful to see so many people coming together to enjoy books, meet authors and share their enthusiasm for reading. We are proud to have played a part in helping establish what we hope will become a much-loved annual event in Cobham.”

The organisers would also like to thank the festival’s venues, partners, volunteers and everyone who attended for helping make the inaugural weekend such a success.


The strong response from audiences has provided an encouraging foundation for the festival’s future, with the organisers already looking ahead to building on the first year and bringing an even broader programme of authors and events to Cobham.


The inaugural Cobham Literary Festival marks an exciting new chapter for Cobham’s literary life, creating a new annual opportunity for readers to meet authors, discover new books and celebrate the power of stories to bring communities together.

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Emirates and AC Milan are proud to announce the extension of their iconic partnership. The landmark renewal reinforces one of football’s longest and most successful collaborations, with Emirates continuing as the Principal Partner, Official Airline Partner, and Official Men’s Jersey Partner of the prestigious Italian club.

As part of the renewal, Emirates’ signature ‘fly better’ logo will remain emblazoned on the front of AC Milan’s Men’s First Team shirts across all major competitions including Serie A, Coppa Italia, UEFA, FIFA fixtures, and international friendlies. Emirates iconic logo will also extend to the jerseys of AC Milan Academy youth players, enabling the partnership to cultivate not only sporting excellence but also the next generation of footballing talent from grassroots to the global stage.

Emirates will also benefit from extensive activation rights, including LED displays of its brand in stadiums and training centres for all home matches, exclusive digital content, fan engagement experiences, and premium hospitality. The extended partnership will feature innovative initiatives to engage fans, such as global watch parties hosted at select international locations.

Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline said:

"We are thrilled to extend our partnership with AC Milan. This collaboration, built on shared values and a mutual commitment to excellence, has created unforgettable experiences for millions of fans worldwide."

"Our deep-rooted relationship with Italy makes this extension a natural next step, as we continue to connect Milan and other Italian cities to the world through Dubai, while bringing Rossoneri fans across our global network closer to their favourite club and players."

Maikel Oettle, Chief Commercial Officer of AC Milan, stated:

“The renewal of our partnership with Emirates stands as testimony to one of the most historic and admired collaborations in football, a shared journey that looks to the future with ambition and vision."

"Emirates will continue to stand by our side, helping us strengthen the Club’s solid foundations and, together, connect new generations of fans around the world while creating unique experiences that go far beyond the pitch.”

This renewed partnership reaffirms Emirates’ position as a leader in global sports sponsorship and AC Milan’s status as the Italian club with the largest global fanbase. Together, these two iconic brands will continue to create unmatched experiences for fans both in Italy and worldwide, forging powerful synergies between aviation and sports.

Emirates first began its sponsorship of AC Milan in September 2007. In 2008, the relationship was elevated to Top Institutional Sponsor, and the airline became the official jersey sponsor in the 2010/2011 season. In celebration of AC Milan’s 125th anniversary, Emirates unveiled a bespoke A380 livery last year, featuring the club’s iconic colours and official crest, symbolizing the deep-rooted and enduring nature of this partnership. AC Milan has also opened its new office in Dubai, serving as a key hub for the Club to expand its commercial and communication strategies throughout the region.

Emirates’ ongoing commitment to football enables it to connect with fans worldwide, forging prestigious partnerships with top football clubs and major tournaments. The airline’s ‘fly better’ logo is proudly displayed on the jerseys of prominent European clubs such as Real Madrid, Arsenal FC, Benfica SL and Olympique Lyonnais.


The airline has also recently expanded its football portfolio with a new partnership with FC Bayern Munich, becoming the Platinum Partner of its first team from the 2025-26 season through to 2031-32.


Emirates has been the Title Partner of The FA Cup for nearly a decade, with the tournament officially known as The Emirates FA Cup. While in the UAE, Emirates continues to support the UAE Pro League, and the airline's logo will appear on the sleeve and back of Al Ain FC’s training jerseys throughout the 2025/2026 season.


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