Goodwood House

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The Ned’s Fund Goodwood Lecture 2025

An Evening with Libby Purves OBE

6th November 2025

Libby is a renowned journalist, broadcaster and author with a career spanning decades. A long-standing commentator for The Times and the first female presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme, she was awarded an OBE in 1999 for her services to journalism. All money raised will be donated by Ned’s Fund to the award-winning charity, Ocean Youth Trust South.

£45 per person

An Evening with Libby Purves OBE

£45 per person

Libby is a renowned journalist, broadcaster and author with a career spanning decades. A long-standing commentator for The Times and the first female presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme, she was awarded an OBE in 1999 for her services to journalism. All money raised will be donated by Ned’s Fund to the award-winning charity, Ocean Youth Trust South.

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  • Goodwood House
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Event Details

  • Guests are asked to arrive at Goodwood House at 7pm for drinks and canapés prior to the talk by Libby Purves, OBE.
  • View the State Apartments - Goodwood is the seat of the Dukes of Richmond whose family art collection is one of the greatest in any English country house. The State Apartments can be visited before and after Libby Purves' talk.
  • By kind permission of the Duke of Richmond, Ned’s Fund is delighted to be supporting Ocean Youth Trust South at this year’s lecture at Goodwood House. Ned’s Fund was set up in memory of a brilliant young man who took his own life on 17 July 2017.

Libby Purves OBE

A long-standing commentator in The Times and the first female presenter of BBC Radio 4's Today Programme, Libby received her OBE for services to journalism in 1999, also being recognised as Columnist of the Year. She has edited Tatler, contributes to The Oldie, and presented BBC programmes including Midweek, The Learning Curve, and various documentaries. Libby is also the author of twelve novels, books about sailing – including One Summer's Grace about sailing round Britain with two small children – and a trilogy of family advice books beginning with How not to be a Perfect Mother.

Libby is especially sympathetic to the causes of both Ned's Fund and Ocean Youth Trust South. She writes a monthly column for Yachting Monthly, and was for ten years a trustee of the National Maritime Museum. Libby also lost her first-born child, Nicholas, to suicide in 2006. He was 23, had found the joy of sailing, including a trip with OYT South, and crossed the Atlantic and Pacific under square-rig on Barque Europa.

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Ocean Youth Trust South

Ocean Youth Trust South is an award-winning charity which provides personal development opportunities for young people aged 11-25, with the majority disadvantaged or vulnerable. The charity takes young people to sea in their beautiful 105-foot sailing vessel, Prolific, to develop confidence, teamworking, communication, resilience, the ability to cope with new situations and deal with setbacks and much more. Young people sail as active crew members and can earn sailing qualifications - but it can also be an opportunity to make friends with others facing similar problems at home or at school.

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About Ned's Fund

Ned took his own life on the railway line at Witley Station on 17th July 2017; he was 20. Bright, courageous, funny, a natural sportsman, a brilliant skier and snowboarder, a wonderful brother and a much loved and cherished son. He was remarkable. 

Ned's Fund has been set up in his memory to help a range of charities that provide opportunities for young people who, like Ned, are struggling to find their own particular path through life.  So far these have included Jamie’s Farm, the Ocean Youth Trust, Mousetrap Theatre Projects, the Arundel Castle Cricket Foundation and Switch 180/Snow Camp.

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The Ned’s Fund Goodwood Lecture 2025

An Evening with Libby Purves OBE

£45 per ticket
BOOK NOW