New Festival director welcomed

KATHERINE Newbigging, who stepped in as interim director of the Festival of Spirituality and Peace when Andrew Newman had to return to South Africa due to family bereavement, has been introduced as its new permanent director.

The announcement was made this evening by Raymond Baudon, chair of the Festival Board, speaking at the closing celebrations at St Paul's Church, Edinburgh. 

Katherine is believed to be the youngest woman director of a major Festival of this kind in Britain. She has worked for the Festival of Spirituality and Peace for five years, most recently as its coordinator.

She in turn thanked the two recent directors, the staff teams and managers, the volunteers and the Board for making the 2012 Festival such a huge success - and was received with huge claim

That includes raising over £2,500 for charity from a 50p ticket levy.