Journalist Lesley Riddoch presents the first in a series of talks at Newbattle Abbey College to celebrate the National Year of Reading.

Lesley is well placed to discuss the significance of reading to Scottish public life and the country’s future. She is best known for broadcasting with programmes on BBC2, Channel 4, Radio 4 and BBC Radio Scotland, for which she won two Sony speech broadcaster awards. She was Assistant Editor of the Scotsman (and edited the paper when it became the Scotswoman on International Women’s Day 1995), and was part of the start-up team for the Sunday Herald. She’s written weekly columns for the National since its inception in 2014 and used to write for the Herald, Scotsman & Guardian. Lesley was a member of the trust that helped the people of Eigg buy their own island in 1997 and founded Africawoman, a charity that trained female journalists across the continent. In 2020 she won the Saltire Society Fletcher of Saltoun Award for her contribution to public life. She is Director of the policy group Nordic Horizons and has co-produced and presented 6 films about the Nordic countries with the latest about Finland being shown around Scotland now.

The event on Thursday 12 March 2026 is free and open to the public. Doors open at 6:15 pm and the talk will begin at 6:30. After a Q&A session, tea and coffee will be provided along with an opportunity for book signings.

Tickets are free with an opportunity to make donations to Newbattle Abbey College. Anyone interested in going along must register on Eventbrite.

Newbattle Abbey College is excited to highlight the importance of reading as debates about its decline heat up. Our library is particularly focused on using its beautiful space to provide public events which encourage reading and literacy. Future talks are being planned to create a gentle stream of notable authors.