Retreat Bursary Programme

These places are intended for those working on the frontline of public service and those actively engaged in grassroots social movement organising.

If your work involves ongoing service to others, particularly in challenging or under-resourced contexts, or collective organising for social change, you are very welcome to apply.

You can see previous bursary participants in the carousel at the bottom of this page to get a sense of those who are offered a place.

No. You don't need any previous writing experience to apply. These retreats are for anyone who wants to use writing as a way of slowing down, reflecting, reconnecting with their creativity or finding their voice. Many participants have never shared their writing with anyone before.

It depends on the bursary you're applying for.

For frontline worker places, no. There is no expectation that you're working on a writing project. The retreat is simply an opportunity to rest, reflect and reconnect with yourself.

For social movement activist places, I usually prioritise applicants who have a writing project they want to develop during the retreat. This could be a novel, memoir, poetry collection, play, screenplay, essay, article, campaign writing or another creative or non-fiction project.

All bursary places are offered in a shared triple room. Rooms are usually mixed gender, and bathrooms are shared and mixed gender.

Applications open a few months before each retreat. The easiest way to hear when applications open is to join the mailing list or follow me on Instagram, where I'll announce each application window.

Applications are now open for bursary places on the 20 to 25 September 2026 Writing Retreat and will close at 11.59pm on Friday 7 August.

I'll let everyone know the outcome of their application within two weeks of the application window closing.

Unfortunately, I'm not able to offer individual feedback on applications.

I really appreciate the time and care that goes into every application, and thank you for your understanding.

You’ll be asked to confirm your place by paying a refundable deposit of £300 within a short timeframe.

If the place is not confirmed within this window, it may be offered to another applicant.

The deposit helps ensure that bursary places are taken up by people who are able to attend. As these places are fully funded, a late cancellation or no-show often means someone else misses the opportunity to come.

The full £300 is refunded after you attend the retreat.

If paying the deposit would prevent you from applying, please get in touch. I never want finances to be a barrier to accessing a bursary place.

Unfortunately, there are always more applications than places available. Not being offered a place is not a reflection on the value of your work or your application.

If you'd like, you can choose to remain on the bursary list so you'll automatically be considered for future retreats without needing to complete another application.

If you choose to stay on the bursary list, you won't need to complete another application for future retreats. I'll keep your application on file and consider it when bursary places become available for future retreats, including any last minute spaces that arise due to cancellations, which often happens.

Yes. If you choose not to stay on the bursary list, you're very welcome to submit a new application for a future retreat.

If you need to cancel more than three weeks before the retreat begins, your £300 deposit will be refunded minus a £65 administration fee.

If you cancel with less than three weeks' notice, the deposit will normally be forfeited. This is because it is often difficult to offer a fully funded place to someone else at short notice, meaning the place may go unused.