On the Solent – writing about boats
Please click here for a list of forthcoming talks by Sophie Neville
Awarded Beach cleaner of the Year by Litter Pickers of The New Forest, Sophie is an Ambassador for Keep Britain Tidy
She is collecting marine plastic whilst taking part in Schoolreader’s Race for Reading.
Winning the Create! Competition for photography
and was Highly Commended for her sea plastic collage.
Enjoying family life
Visiting Windermere Jetty museum in Cumbria for BBC Antiques Roadshow
Collecting sea plastic on the south coast
Advocating recycling of plastics
At the House of Commons celebrating the Great British Spring Clean
Cleaning Solent beaches – photo: Daily Mail
Speaking at the Essex Book Festival
Completed her 5th Waterberg Trust Challenge Ride
Raising funds for community projects in S.Africa
Representing The Arthur Ransome Society
On Derwentwater before speaking in Keswick
Sophie Neville in a rowing skiff on the River Amstel
Opening the Tavistock Festival
Taking part in The Waterberg Trust Challenge Ride
Exhibiting her artwork in aid of charity
At Araminta Blue’s exhibition in London
Sophie Neville in Suffok for a Reading of ‘We Didn’t Mean To Go To Sea’ with Griff Rhys Jones, Libby Purves, Francis Wheen, Julia Jones and Christina Hardyment.
At a Marathon Reading on Coniston Water joining the children of Cumbria to read ‘Swallows and Amazons’
Sailing in the Netherlands with the Nancy Blackett Trust
Opening the Arthur Ransome Jamboree at Pin Mill
Worcestershire Archery Ladies Champion
Helping Save the Waterberg Rhino in South Africa
At The Nevillery
Learning about owls in the desert
Preparing for archery tournaments while in the Gulf
Fundraising for Hampshire Air Ambulance
Riding in the wilderness
Agincourt 600th at Chatsworth shooting with the longbow at 120 yards
riding through Georgia in the former Soviet Union
Filming in the Western Isles with Ged Yeates
Sophie Neville launching an appeal for Medecine San Frontieres
Sophie Neville rowing in the Magna Carta Flotilla 14th June 2015
Sophie Neville with Titmouse in Norfolk
Re-living ‘Coot Club’ on the River Bure
Sophie Neville in South Africa
leading the Waterberg Charity Ride
Filming with our tame otters in Scotland
and in Gloucestershire
Sophie Neville at Hastings Pirate Day
Riding through Uruguay in South America
Giving a talk to raise funds for Comic Relief
In London, reading from my books with Holly Hamilton and Joanna Foster
~ Posting letters ~
~ At Camp Davidson with Horizon Horseback Safaris in the Waterberg ~
Easter Day 1999, unaware that my dress was the same colour as the pool.
Can you guess the species of creature I am holding? We weren’t sure and had to ask our vet for verification. The clue is that I was in South Africa, yet we have the same wild animals here in Scotland. An island was called after one.
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I was giving a talk in the ballroom at the Norfolk Arms Hotel in Arundel. Very smart. I thought I ought to wear a dress. This was a mistake. I merged, almost entirely, with the long brocade curtains and the cover on the grand piano.
and again –
turned up at a talk wearing clothes that merged with the curtains
Sophie Neville 
From the floor you were clearly distinguishable from the soft furnishings! and we certainly felt honoured that you’d taken the trouble to dress so nicely for us. A dream of a talk and a privilege to be there.
I am so glad you enjoyed the talk! Do let me know what you think of my postings about making ‘Swallows and Amazons’ (see Home page). I am off to visit the charcoal burners next – any questions you might have are most welcome.
The backstage shots and snippets are rivetting, and you’ve really answered most things in your account. Do you think the other children identified much with their characters?
Hi Sophie
do give me a ring when you have a moment. good wishes, Heather HB
Hi Sophie (and Simon!) I have much enjoyed reading your website – but haven’t found an email address, yet! but we will, no doubt, or will phone you … love Charlotte and Bill in wonderful Worcestershire
I am so glad you have enjoyed reading the Blog.
My e-mail is: sophie@sophieneville.co.uk
…hope all is well… nice blog, James Meigh
Good to hear from you, James.
I have written more about the otters on another Blog I keep – you’ll find a few posts about them there:
http://funnily-enough.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/mum-dad-and-their-tame-otters.html
Hi sophie
I hope you dont mind me asking, I went to school with Tamzin, i have not seen her in years. I have fond memories of a warm and caring young lady who would treat me with respect & honesty. I would love you to pass a message onto her her please if you would be so kind.
They were great times all those years ago, i hope she & all the family are well
with upmost respect
Tim Collett
Tamzin is very well, busy writing Christmas cards. Have you managed to read ‘Funnily Enough’ or ‘Ride the Wings of Morning’? – which would not have been written without her amusing imput.
Hello, i just wanted to say how much i love this blog and how exciting your adventures look. I am 13 and swallows and amazons is my favourite film ever and you played titty so well, it is so lovely to see you now and may i say that your smile hasn’t changed, it is very enchanting, love emmie x
Dear Emmie,
Thank you so much for taking the time to write.
Do leave a review of the film on the Amazon site – it is a great encouragement to the distributors who have been organising cinema screenings. We might be able to have another one in Oxford over the Christmas Holidays, which would be fun.
Have you been able to get hold of a copy of ‘The Making of Swallows & Amazons’. I can now be ordered from your library.
Do let me know if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to answer them.
Are you a member of The Arthur Ransome Society?
Thank you very much for replying, I have got The Making of Swallows and Amazons and I’m really enjoying it, very well written!
I am not part of The Arthur Ransome Society, how can I become a member?!
Also, I was in my grandpa’s house the other day and I noticed that there was a picture in a frame in the kitchen; it appeared to be one of yours!
I think it was a drawing of some pigs, but I can’t quite remember. My auntie told me it because she said that she knew you; her name is Camilla McNair – I wonder if you remember her?
Emmie x
Dear Emmi, How amazing that Camilla is your niece. Please send her my love. If you Google ‘The Arthur Ransome Society’ you can see details of what they do and how to become a member on their website. ‘The Nancy Blackett Trust’ is also a great society to join if you enjoy sailing and can get up to the River Owell in Suffolk. We are going to be screening the movie at a cinema in Woodbridge on 19th April to raise funds for them and have Swallow – the dinghy used in the film coming along. I am so glad that you are enjoying ‘the Making of Swallows & Amazons’ . would you do me the honour of pasting your comments about it on the Amazon site? It would be a great help. You should be able to get to the right page by clicking on the side-bar of my blog. Many thanks for adding a comment here. I loved hearing about the pig picture, I drew them here in South Africa where I cam currently writing.
Dear Sophie,
what ever happened to the rest of the cast? Did the other children now adults, keep in touch or get in touch?
If so, do you all still meet up?
Or was that it, and never the twain shall meet.
Ro
We’ve never managed to have a cast re-union!
I have been in touch with Suzanna for some time, and met up with Sten and Simon recently. Kit and I planned to go to see Suzanna in a play she was in this summer but Kit forgot that she was off to the Commonwealth Games and I went down with bronchitis. The only person we have lost contact with is Lesley Bennett who played Peggy. I’m hoping she will get in touch.
Dear Ms Neville,
Fantastic feeling to have found your website. I am trying to get in touch with Reinhild v Bodenhausen. Her mother Anga was my mother´s best friend. I remember well my first crush (on Reinhild, of course). I was 5-6 years old. I havn´t seen her since and would very much like to have her e-mail adress or any other information making it possible to reach her.
Kindest regards
Bjorn Undall
(Lidingo Sweden)
Good to hear from you! Reinhild is very well and living in the UK.
Do email me on sophie@sophieneville.co.uk
This is so rich and awesome. What an adventurous life! I love animals and have just seen some splendid pics of you in Africa with animals! What an inspiration. Where do you get all the energy?!! You have left a golden trail for generations! Very beautiful collections of pics and events for anyone to be very proud of. Congrats!!
Thank you! I was based in Southern Africa for twelve years accumulating stories I put together in ‘Ride the Wings of Morning’, which is available online as an ebook or (rather large) paperback.
Very touching trying to keep in touch with the cast! Found Peggy yet? Everyone must be waiting to see a reunion pic or a write on where everyone is now and doing what. It can happen!
Mate Peggy was living in Dubai when I first brought out ‘The Making of Swallows and Amazons’ but I met up with her in Amsterdam. You can read about it here:https://sophieneville.net/2017/08/10/meeting-up-with-peggy-blackett-from-the-film-swallows-amazons1974/
What a very busy lady you are, Sophie; and adventurous too! I don’t know how you find time to fit everything in but it is fascinating to read about. Thank you very much for sharing it all with us.
I always think I should be doing more!
I don’t see how you could! You are an inspiration to the rest of us.
OH .. WOW …. Well done Sophie … I didn’t know that you had this Website !!!!
We must have set it up in 2011 – eleven years ago. I’ve had nearly 230,000 visitors.