Alumnae Appearance at this year’s Winchester Books Festival

Prince’s Mead is delighted to celebrate the success of former pupil Dolly Jones, who will be appearing at the Winchester Books Festival on Sunday 19 April 2026, 11am-12pm, to discuss her latest book 'Leaving the Ladder Down - How to combine career and motherhood from the women who've done it'.

Dolly, a former Vogue journalist, will be joined in conversation by bestselling writer Sarah Turner, widely known as The Unmumsy Mum. Together, they will explore the themes at the heart of Dolly’s new book: the transformative experience of returning to work after having children, and how identity, confidence, and ambition evolve throughout parenthood.

Their session promises an hour of honesty, humour, and wisdom as they reflect on the pressures facing modern parents, the challenges of balancing career and family life, and the importance of support, flexibility, and self-belief. Held at The Arc in Winchester, the event forms part of a dynamic festival programme celebrating writers, ideas, and creativity.

Alongside her professional achievements, Dolly remains deeply proud of her roots at Prince’s Mead. Speaking ahead of the event, Dolly reflected fondly on her early years:

Dolly with her brother on her first day at Prince's Mead

“Prince’s Mead gave me such a happy start in life. I remember feeling completely at home and still have such vivid memories of my time there - and friends who I still see! I’ve always been grateful for the confidence it gave me that school was supposed to be fun and interesting and a place you were encouraged to be curious and get excited about the future. I loved it there.”

We are incredibly proud to see Dolly continuing to inspire others through her writing, her career, and her commitment to supporting parents as they navigate their own next chapters.

We look forward to celebrating her achievements at this exciting Winchester Books Festival event.

Event details:

The Next Chapter: Work, Identity and Life After Children — Dolly Jones in conversation with Sarah Turner

Date: Sunday 19 April 2026

Time: 11:00am–12:00pm

Venue: The Arc, Jewry Street, Winchester SO23 8SB

You can find out more about the event and book tickets on the Winchester Books Festival website.