Balham literary festival is back for the second time. This festival explores the things that make Balham an inspiring place to call home. The second world war of course features in everyone’s memories – the tragedy at the underground station of 14th October 1940, the dark rumour that Hitler had planned to set up shop in Du Cane Court. The neighbourhood has welcomed new arrivals from around the world, including the Polish community and the Windrush generation. The religious worshippers have founded a mosque, a temple and a synagogue as well as churches. There are cultural landmarks, too – the Lido, the Bedford pub itself – and proximity to important health centres past and present, including St George’s Hospital and the former asylum at Tooting Bec. Edward Thomas and Thomas Hardy both have connections to the area, marking the literary heritage. Balham has a café culture and a relaxed, friendly vibe which makes the place so popular.

Balham literary festival gathers together all these threads and brings together writers – many of whom are South Londoners – to explore themes of war, migration, exile, creating a homeland, home cooking, swimming, mental health and neurosurgery, literature, singer songwriting, the Caribbean today, the lands at the edges of Western Europe, and how children feel about fitting in to their environment.