Campaigning For Girls Rights!
Essex Book Festival 2022

Chelmsford Library

In June 2022, we organised an event with author and girls’ rights activist Sufiya Ahmed, which was an empowering workshop on how to make change using the democratic process, using the story of British Indian suffragette Princess Sophia Duleep Singh as inspiration. Part of Essex Book Festival’s Family Day at Chelmsford Library.

To find out more about Essex Book Festival visit essexbookfestival.org.uk

About Sufiya Ahmed  

Sufiya Ahmed is an award-winning children’s and YA author. She regularly visits secondary and primary schools to talk about her childhood dream to become an author. She also discusses her previous career in the Houses of Parliament to educate and inspire pupils about the democratic process and discusses how her political activism influences her writing. She is a public speaker on girls’ rights.

Her new children’s book is Princess Sophia Duleep Singh, published by Scholastic UK. The book on the suffragette will twin with her book Noor-Un-Nissa Inayat Khan, the story of the WWII heroine, Churchill’s spy. Both women feature in Sufiya’s Human/Girls Rights workshops as role models for their historical contribution to Britain.

Sufiya is the founder and director of the BIBI Foundation, a non-profit organisation which arranges visits to the Houses of Parliament for diverse and underprivileged children.

Sufiya’s published books include: Secrets of the Henna Girl (YA Puffin Books) | Noor-Un-Nissa Inayat Khan (Scholastic Publishing) | Princess Sophia Duleep Singh (Scholastic Publishing) | Under the Great Plum Tree (Tiny Owl Publishing) | Ruby Ali’s Mission Break Up (Bloomsbury Publishing) | Here to Stay (OUP) | Famous Five – Timmy And The Treasure (Hachette)

New in 2022: The Search for Ayah (HarperCollins) | The Bravest Women (HarperCollins) | Rosie Raja, Churchill’s Spy (Bloomsbury Publishing)

Contributing author: Tales of Superheroes (Ladybird) | It’s Not About the Burqa (Picador) | Match Made in Heaven (Hope Publishing)

Essex Book Festival
Chelmsford Library’s Family Fun Day

Saturday 18 June 10am – 4pm

This event is part of Essex Book Festival’s Family Fun Day at Chelmsford Library. Join us for a day of free family-friendly activities at Chelmsford Library. Sing along to your favourite songs at Rhyme Time; get creative and crafting; hear stories read aloud with amazing authors who’ll be taking their sear in the Storytelling Armchair; and get techy with Ozobots!

• 10.15am Rhyme Time
• 11.00am Josie Dom: Lum’s Mum (Storytelling and activities) – Book here
• 12.15pm Sufiya Ahmed: Campaigning for Girls Rights
• 12.15pm Sade Fadipe: Fun Stories From Far Away! – book here
• Throughout the day: Drop-in Ozobot workshop