Patrick Barkham takes us on a journey around some of Britain’s most intriguing small islands, meeting their wild residents – from puffins to party animals, Orkney voles to nuns. In this illustrated talk, he travels from small to ever tinier islands in search of the essence of island life. Do small islands have big lessons for us on the mainland?

Patrick Barkham is an award-winning author and Natural History Writer for the Guardian.

He has written and reported on everything from the Iraq War to climate change during 18 years at The Guardian and has also worked for The Times. He writes regularly for BBC Wildlife Magazine, Country Living, Countryfile magazine and The Oldie, and also works as an occasional butterfly tour guide.

Patrick is the award-winning author of The Butterfly Isles, Badgerlands, and Coastlines. His latest book, Islander, won the 2018 National Geographic Traveller Magazine book of the year award. Patrick lives with his family near the Norfolk Broads. He is currently writing a book about children and nature. His favourite small island is Scolt Head Island in north Norfolk.