Wildlife star Kate Humble unveils debut book in Oswestry

In Conversation with Kate Humble was staged at the Walls Restaurant in Oswestry last night to celebrate the publication of her debut book Humble by Nature.

The new book charts the joys and perils of her move from London to rural Monmouthshire to rescue a 117-acre farm.

The sold out event was organised by Oswestry's Booka Bookshop and was attended by 120 people.

The presenter said she knew the Shropshire area as she had friends who live near Oswestry and described the county as beautiful part of the country.

She explained her new book was not an autobiography but more of a "love story" about her reconnecting with her love of the countryside.

The author said the inspiration for giving up city life and moving to the countryside was her work on the TV show Lambing Live.

She said: "It really opened my eyes to farming.

"It really made me want to connect back to how food is produced.

"Working farms provide fantastic wildlife habitats, they provide jobs, they provide livelihoods for farming families.

"These are the real backbones of our areas."

The presenter added that after saving the farm, she and her husband with the help of a tenant farmer stage various courses and activities on it.

She said: "We want to show people they have a connection with the land.

"It is a passion project and we really believe in it."

She said people who wanted to know more about the project could visit www.humblebynature.com for more details.

Whitchurch author Kate Long, who wrote the best selling Bad Mother's Handbook which was later made into a TV movie, attended the event to interview the TV presenter.

Carrie Morris from Booka said the event has proved so popular that a reserve list had to be set up.

Mrs Morris said: "It is great the event sold out and it shows how interested people are in Kate and her work.

"It also shows that we seem to be putting on the right kind of events in Oswestry which are attracting a lot of interest."

"I was also delighted that Kate Long was able to come along and take part in the event.

"She is a best selling author and also writes for BBC wildlife magazines so to have the two Kates together was a real bonus.

"We have various events organised for our summer season and the Kate Humble event is definitely the highlight."

The Kate Humble evening is just one of a series of events staged by the bookshop as part of a busy summer programme.

The shop stages regular events, attracting top names in the literary world.

Among the forthcoming events will be a visit to Booka Bookshop on July 1 by Hilary Bradt, founder of the Bradt Travel Guide.

The author will talk about her journey across Ireland on horseback, featured in her books Connemara Mollie and Dingle Peggy.