THIS year’s Monmouth Women’s festival kicks off on March 4 with a host of inspirational female writers, poets, gardeners and topical experts attending the ten-day event, including national treasure, writer and poet, Pam Ayres.

Monmouth Women's festival celebrates the achievements of women from all walks of life and provides the opportunity to bring them together through a number of events ranging from workshops to fashion shows, gardening talks and tastings.

They are spread throughout the day and evening and many of them are free.

Pam Ayres will be giving a talk about her life and works on March 4 and renowned TV chef, Prue Leith, talks about her life as a celebrity chef and her new-found passion as a novelist on March 5.

The original calendar girl, Tricia Stewart, will be attending on March 12, to talk about her inspirational path to becoming a leading charity fundraiser - followed by a showing of the movie in which her part is played by Helen Mirren.

From the world of literature - Mavis Nicholson, one of Wales’ best loved writers speaks about her childhood in Wales on March 6, Pascale Petit - who teaches poetry at the Tate Modern discusses her poetry about the work of Frida Kahlo on March 8, and Menna Elfyn reads poetry in both English and Welsh on March 11.

The festival is run by volunteers and is sponsored by Monmouth Town council, the Savoy theatre, Adventa, and Made in Monmouthshire.

For more information or to book tickets visit www.monmouthwomensfestival.org.uk