THE Wooburn Festival is now in its 39th year, and the line up this time is as strong as ever.

Roy Hattersley brings his considerable public speaking experience to the Spoken Word programme with a talk about the Edwardians, the subject of his latest book.

Also speaking is Nick Clarke, who remembers the late Alistair Cooke, in an evening appropriately entitled Letter from America.

Just two of the highlights of another packed programme which begins on October 1 and runs until October 23.

The festival was started by Richard Hickox CBE when, as an Organ Scholar at Cambridge, he organised a concert with his Cambridge friends to fund repairs to the roof of Wooburn Parish Church, where his father was the vicar.

Hickox is now the music director and resident conductor of the Sydney Opera House, but is still the president of the festival and regularly conducts the orchestral concert.

John Rosewarne, Patrons and Friends Secretary says: "The objective of the festival, as always, is to bring professional quality music, art, film and literature to the residents of the local area."

The appeal is reflected in a broad and high quality programme, which over the years has featured many artists who have gone on to develop successful careers in their chosen field.

This year's rising star is young Welsh pianist Llyr Williams, a first-class graduate in Music of Queen's College Oxford, from where he took a post-graduate scholarship at the Royal Academy of Music. He graduated with a dip.RAM the Academy's highest award, and his career has developed at pace ever since, with critically acclaimed performances, and BBC4 is planning a documentary about him in the near future.

At the Wooburn Festival he is performing a programme of Beethoven, Liszt, Debussy and Chopin. This is something to savour for any classical music fan.

He is performing in the Wooburn Parish Church, also the setting for the Sorrel String Quartet's rendition of Mozart, Shostakovich and Mendelssohn by candlelight.

For jazz enthusiasts, the Stan Tracy Quartet are performing Under Milk Wood, with Philip Madoc narrating Dylan Thomas' verse, and for folk fans, Kevin Loughran returns to the festival for an evening of traditional and contemporary folk, including music by Bob Dylan, Cole Porter and Jake Thackery.

John Rosewarne points out that the appeal of the festival is broad.

John says: "There is the children's event, and the lunchtime concerts, organised in conjuction with the Wycombe Swan which are free, are a place to spot up and coming young talent. The Visual Arts Exhibition is a stunning display and has established itself as the premier exhibition for local artists in the Bucks, Berks and Oxon area."

Wooburn Festival from October 1 to October 23 at various venues. Tickets in advance from 01628 524243, or by email at sales@wooburn.com. Jeremy Campbell