Child, Cole and Rankin join online festival in support of food banks

Crime fiction writers, including Lee Child, Martina Cole and Ian Rankin, are participating in an online festival to raise money for the food bank charity Trussel Trust.

Locked Up Festival is the brainchild of Steve Cavanagh and Luca Veste, the authors behind the podcast "Two Crime Writers and Microphone", and will entail three days of authors, broadcasters and comedians appearing on panels and in live conversations, streamed to participants via video conference platform Zoom. 

Authors featuring at the festival, running Thursday 2nd–4th July, will also include Anthony Horowitz, Val McDermid, Richard Osman, Ruth Ware, Don Winslow, Alex North, Mark Billingham, S J Watson, Chris Brookmyre, Denise Mina, Shari Lapena, Adrian McKinty and Linwood Barclay, among others, joining journalist and TV presenter Steph McGovern and comedian Janey Godley. 

In a joint statement, Cavanagh and Veste said: "Both of us grew up working class and relied on charities at various times during our childhoods (and beyond). We’ve been acutely aware that food banks have been put under immense pressure because of the lockdown and job losses that occurred due to the pandemic. We wanted to do something to give back to a charity like the ones which supported us when we needed it.

"Therefore, we have partnered with the Trussell Trust, which supports two-thirds of the UK's food banks, to raise much needed additional funds for them. We are both incredibly grateful to the many authors, comedians, and TV presenters who have come onboard, and we promise a weekend filled with laughter, intrigue, and a little bit of crime book talk."

All proceeds raised will go to the trust, which supports a nationwide network of 1,200 food banks.

Emma Revie, chief executive of the Trussell Trust, said: "We are so grateful to Steve and Luca, and everyone involved at the crime writing festival, for raising vital funds in order to support our work. Every donation will help us continue to support our network of food banks to provide the best possible emergency help to people referred at an uncertain time. 

"We’re working closely with our network to understand each food bank’s situation, and how we can best support them. Wide-ranging conversations are continuing with national partners, exploring how we can work together to help ensure people can access support in the coming weeks, how we get vital food to the places it’s most needed, and how we can help boost volunteer numbers in areas where extra volunteers may be needed. 

"Everyone should be able to afford their own food and the support from this festival will help people get the emergency support they need today, while working towards a future where people have enough money for the essentials in life."

Tickets will cost £20 for the weekend pass.