Celebrating Literature: Our Sponsorship of the Felixstowe Book Festival

Jane on April 18, 2024

Welcoming Readers to the Felixstowe Book Festival

The Felixstowe Book Festival has been running since 2013 and attracts many visitors from far and wide. This event is a celebration of ‘Books by the Sea’.

Felixstowe is not just a container port; it has many facets to it, including this very popular literary event, the Felixstowe Book Festival.

There are almost 25 ‘meet the author’ events spread out across Felixstowe between 26th and 30th June. There is something for everyone, no matter what age you are.

So book your tickets today, because it’s going to be a sell-out.

Supporting Cultural, Sports events and Charity in Suffolk

Billie Box are proud to be sponsors of the Felixstowe Book Festival, helping to promote literacy and community engagement.

Jane (owner of Billie Box) & Clare (Jane’s sister) grew up in their parents’ newsagent in Felixstowe and supporting local organisations has been a key part of Jane’s business ethos. 

Billie Box supports many local initiatives and cultural events. Organisations that Billie Box supports include HomeStart in Suffolk charity, St. Elizabeth hospice, Felixstowe Ferry Sailing Club, Suffolk Sound Radio station and the Felixstowe Book Festival to name a few.

Jane feels that this aligns with Billie Box’s business values. It builds trust by giving back to the community. 

A Celebration of Literature in Felixstowe

The Felixstowe Book Festival has a unique intimate and welcoming atmosphere. Many visitors have a fun-packed long weekend of listening to their favourite and newly found authors along with eating great food and walking along the prom past the beautifully coloured beach huts. The Spa gardens are also a great spot to have a picnic looking out to sea or even at the beautiful flowers in the gardens. Some even go for a bracing swim.

At the book festival events, you have the chance to meet the authors and get your book signed. There is a mix of genres such as fiction, poetry, non-fiction and children’s events. Some of the areas covered are history, art, politics, economics, the environment and much more.

The main venue is the stunningly beautiful Harvest House that dates back to Edwardian times. The building is now mostly private apartments but the ground floor rooms are excellent for ‘meet the author’ events. You can even have a light lunch/snack at the events and sit outside looking out to the North Sea. Such a great setting.

Join Us at the Felixstowe Book Festival

Here is the programme of events and how you can buy tickets. Click on the image below.

So join us for a fun-packed long weekend of fabulous literary culture at the Felixstowe Book Festival because it is going to be a fabulous event.

We are Billie Box Ltd, a family-run container sales and rental business with expert knowledge and traditional values.

We offer:

🔵 20ft & 40ft Shipping Container for storage for hire

🔵 20ft & 40ft Shipping Container for storage for sale

🔵 10ft & 20ft Chemical storage Containers for sale

🔵 20ft Portable Container Offices for sale

🔵 Bespoke Container Conversions

🔵 All with delivery to your door

📞 👉 Call us on 0800 121 7388 or visit our websites:

👉 Billie Box

👉 Chemical Storage 4 Farmers

Sponsorship for FFSC 2022/23

Jane on August 25, 2022

Billie Box are delighted to announce that they are sponsoring the following in 2022/23:

Youth sailing at Felixstowe Ferry

Billie Box are proud to sponsor Youth Sailing at Felixstowe Ferry Sailing Club for another year. For more information about Youth Sailing, have a look at the FFSC website.

FFSC Safety boat called Carl Giles

We are equally proud to continue sponsoring the FFSC’s safety boat, named Carl Giles after the well-known cartoonist. To read more about the boat and its namesake, read our blog post all about the FFSC safety boat from when we started sponsoring it in 2018.

FFSC Regatta in August 22

National 12’s Burton Week held at FFSC

Felixstowe Ferry sailing club is close to Jane and her family’s heart and they want to support the club as much as they can.

If you are looking for a shipping container solution, why not call us today 0800 121 7388 for a quote.

#ShippingContainersSimplified

Billie Box sponsors FFSC safety boat

Jane on September 12, 2018

Billie Box is sponsoring the Felixstowe Ferry Sailing Club (FFSC) Safety boat named: Carl Giles. Yes that’s right Carl Giles OBE, the world famous Cartoonist!

safety boat, FFSC, rescue, sailing club, Billie Box sponsors, sponsorship, Carl Giles

Carl Giles safety boat at FFSC

But why Carl Giles? Carl Giles was the President of the FFSC from 1984 to 1995.

FFSC own the second largest collection of Carl Giles cartoons and many of the characters in the cartoons were members of the club. The largest collection is owned by the Daily Express, which is the newspaper Carl used to work for.

FFSC is based at Felixstowe Ferry, Suffolk, at the mouth of the River Deben. The racing is very challenging both in the river and out to sea. Felixstowe Ferry Sailing Club has a large Youth sailing section who sail on Saturday mornings. The club also offers RYA sailing training. The club racing turns out a good fleet. There is a yacht cruising section and many social events on offer. The FFSC also hosts many sailing Open meetings, National championships and even the occasional World championships.

Jane Billing of Billie Box has been a member of FFSC since 1966, in fact she was born in Deben Week (1 week’s sailing on the River Deben, which no longer runs). Jane’s father sailed with the White family in Firefly dinghies during the 1960’s and Jane followed in her father’s footsteps and started sailing Mirror dinghies in the 1970’s.

Jane, with the help of her father, won the ‘Ladies cup’ at Felixstowe in 1978 And that same year won the ‘Ladies cup’ with Andrew Johnson at Waldringfield. Later on, Jane became social secretary of FFSC and successfully raised funds for FFSC through various social events. Jane sailed Lark dinghies around that time.

In 1994 Jane, on behalf of FFSC, worked alongside the East Suffolk Waterski Club to fundraise for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). That year, with the help of the FFSC and ESWSC members they raised £1,700 for the RNLI. Also helped by Red Arrows flypast, Warren Mitchell (friend of Carl Giles) and Griff Rhys Jones making an appearance. Every year FFSC fund raise in aid of RNLI.

Over the last 52 years Jane has been part of the FFSC and has many family and friends there.
Nowadays, Jane helps out in the Crow’s nest on a Wednesday night sailing race night. The crow’s nest is where races are started and finished. Jane also helps with the various sailing Open meetings,National and any World championships that FFSC host.

When Jane was asked to sponsor the FFSC Safety boat; Carl Giles, it was a no-brainer.

Jane said; “Here at Billie Box we are proud to support the FFSC, and hope to be able to continue our support for many years to come.”

If you would like to know more about FFSC and find out how to get involved, then please drop in and have a chat with one of the committee members or visit their website. The club is open Wednesday & Friday nights, Saturdays and Sundays from Midday to 5pm.

Phantom Nationals 2018, safety boat, sponsorship, Billie Box sponsors,

Thanks to Ben Hawkes for this photo

About Jane Billing
Jane Billing has over 30 years in shipping container supply. During that time Jane has earned a very broad knowledge of the whole shipping container industry. From construction, to shipping, to adaption and conversions, if you have a question about any aspect of the shipping container industry Jane will likely have the answer for you. After many years working for some of the biggest names in the shipping container industry Jane set up her own company, Billie Box Ltd in 2012. Since launching in 2012 Billie Box Ltd has sold well over 1500 new and used containers.

Mid Summer Party 2018

Jane on February 22, 2018

Billie Box are sponsoring the Mid Summer Party 2018 in aid of Age UK Suffolk.

Over the last 5 years, Billie Box has raised funds for many charities. A lot of the fundraising was for cancer-related charities. Previously, Billie Box has held 2 Billie Box Balls, so this year (2018) instead of Cancer and a Ball we thought we would sponsor a ‘Mid Summer Party’ to raise funds for Age UK Suffolk. This charity is another worthwhile cause.

The Mid summer party (23rd June 2018) was designed to be a fun night with lots happening, we have Troubadour (I have had it on very good authority that this band are excellent), we have food (2-course dinner, cheeseboard and welcome drink) Heads & Tails, Raffle and auction. All the makings of a great night out.

With this in mind, why not join in with the festivities?

If you can’t make the event, then why not sponsor or offer a raffle or auction prize? Please call Jane @ Billie Box on T: 01473 557409

About Jane Billing
Jane Billing has over 30 years in shipping container supply. During that time Jane has earned a very broad knowledge of the whole shipping container industry. From construction, to shipping, to adaption and conversions, if you have a question about any aspect of the shipping container industry Jane will likely have the answer for you. After many years working for some of the biggest names in the shipping container industry Jane set up her own company, Billie Box Ltd in 2012. Since launching in 2012 Billie Box Ltd has sold well over 1500 new and used containers.

FFSC Lifeboat Day 2017

Jane on August 24, 2017

Billie Box has sponsored a couple of different charities 2017. The first was FFSC Lifeboat weekend in September 2017.

This event raised over £3000 for the Lifeboat – Fantastic work by all those concerned.

FFSC, Fundraising, RNLI, Billie Box sponsorship,

Fundraising For

fundraising, charity, RNLI, FFSC, Billie Box sponsor,

Jane & Matt are members of the FFSC (Felixstowe Ferry Sailing club) and their sailing club is holding a whole weekend fundraising events for the Harwich RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution).

RNLI is Such a worthy cause, they save lives at sea everyday of the year. RNLI is run by volunteers and rely on public donations to keep their organisation going. It cost £485,000 per day in 2016 to run the RNLI.

During 2016 the RNLI rescued 23 people everyday of 2016, they trained and equipped over 610 lifesavers and 8,851 lifeboats were launched throughout 2016.

FFSC are holding a weekend of events:

Friday, 22nd September 2017 – 6.30pm to 10pm

  • Opening by the Mayor of Felixstowe
  • Fish & chip supper
  • Live music by ‘Bits & Pieces’
  • Beer tent

Saturday, 23rd September 2017 – 12 noon to 11pm

  • RNLI Fundraising stalls
  • Live music by local Pop and Folk bands and artists including ‘Troublesome Reach’
  • RNLI Lifeboat viewing
  • Try sailing taster
  • Children’s entertainment
  • Beer tent
  • All day BBQ, Tea & Coffee
  • Evening curry
  • Rowing machine
  • Fly your Teddy!

Sunday, 24th September – 12 noon to 6pm

  • RNLI fundraising stalls
  • Live music by local Pop and Folk bands and artists
  • Children’s entertainment
  • Duck race
  • All day BBQ, Tea & Coffee
  • The Traditional – Golf Ball over the river competition
  • Tombola
  • Seamanship Race
  • Fly your Teddy!
  • Tug of War

So if you fancy a day or even a weekend out in September, why not come on down to the Felixstowe Ferry Sailing Club and support the RNLI. Or if you can’t make it, why not donate today!

You know it makes sense.

About Jane Billing
Jane Billing has over 30 years in shipping container supply. During that time Jane has earned a very broad knowledge of the whole shipping container industry. From construction, to shipping, to adaption and conversions, if you have a question about any aspect of the shipping container industry Jane will likely have the answer for you. After many years working for some of the biggest names in the shipping container industry Jane set up her own company, Billie Box Ltd in 2012. Since launching in 2012 Billie Box Ltd has sold well over 1500 new and used containers.

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