Chloe Holland took part in First Story's intensive creative writing programme during 2016-17, as a student at Appleton Academy in Bradford. Diagnosed with severe dyslexia and also dyspraxia, Chloe …
Supporter reception at Hachette UK
On 18th November 2019, publishers Hachette UK generously hosted a reception for First Story supporters at their London HQ, Carmelite House — an iconic building on London's Victoria Embankment, …
On being a Writer-in-Residence
This is the transcript of a speech given by Rachel Seiffert during an event for First Story supporters at Hachette UK on 19 November 2019. …
#12Stories Campaign
Celebrating the power of storytelling while raising some much-needed funds to support creative writing by young people. We're trying to raise £1,000 this festive season, to help fund our two national …
Six Word Story 2019 shortlist and winner announced
It's been another great year for our Six Word Story competition. With the sheer variety and ingenuity on offer, shortlisting this year was tough. Somehow we settled on our top 12, before handing over …
Our impact in 2018-19
We’ve published our annual Impact Report for the year ending June 2019. I joined First Story as Chief Executive at the end of the academic year, but I'm no less proud of all that was achieved in …
Extended deadline: University of Cambridge Bursary Scheme
First Story is collaborating with The University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education (ICE) to provide two new tuition fee bursaries. The joint scheme encourages teachers or librarians …
First Story moves into CLPE to create new literacy hub
First Story and Driver Youth Trust have together moved into the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education. As our three organisations share space, resources and ideas, we look forward to building an …
Exclusive interview with Juno Dawson
Juno Dawson is a best-selling author of YA fiction, a successful journalist with bylines in publications from Glamour magazine to The Guardian, a former teacher who specialised in PSHCE and …
Announcing our 2019-20 Rathbones Folio Mentees
We’re delighted to announce the four First Story programme graduates from our 2018-19 cohort chosen to participate in the third year of the Rathbones Folio Mentorships programme. The Folio Mentorships …
Durham Commission report: a catalyst for change?
The Durham Commission on Creativity and Education report, a collaborative research project between Durham University and Arts Council England, is a 96 page deep dive into why and how creativity should …
PGCert in Teaching Creative Writing is a life-changing opportunity
Developing teachers' confidence and skill to practice and teach creative writing is central to our mission. One of the ways we support teachers' professional development is through our partnership …
First Story alumni in Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award 2019
The Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award is the biggest poetry competition in the world for 11–17 year olds. Organised by the Poetry Society, and this year judged by First Story favourites Jackie Kay …
First Story at BBC Contains Strong Language festival
Contains Strong Language is the UK’s biggest annual poetry and performance festival. Over three days the BBC festival stages some 30 events in the city of Hull, with leading poets and world-class …
Six days in Lviv ‘where every third person is a poet’
I’ve recently returned from six days in Lviv, Ukraine’s cultural capital and one of Nottingham’s sister UNESCO Cities of Literature. Like Nottingham, Lviv is a young UNESCO City of Literature, rich in …
Multi-year grant from PHF to fund programme pilot
First Story is excited to embark on a three-year pilot project funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation. We’ve received a More and Better grant of £244,000 from the foundation which specifically funds …
Reflecting on my first summer with First Story
Fittingly, my first day as First Story's new Chief Executive was also National Writing Day. And what an inspiring day it was. My first stop on 26th June was to the Museum of Migration in Lambeth, …
The First Story Summer Residential 2019
In twenty acres of steep woodland overlooking a Pennine valley sits Lumb Bank, an impressive eighteenth-century millowner's house that once belonged to Ted Hughes. For six days in July, Lumb Bank was …
Flashers’ Club reluctantly wraps up
Flashers’ Club is a quarterly 'flash fiction' event in Cheltenham where writers can read their original short fiction to an audience. It's a friendly, supportive and inclusive atmosphere, where all …
Write-Along Movies at Genesis Cinema turns two
If you live in London and you write, get yourself along to the iconic Genesis Cinema, for the city's only (known) 'Film Club and Writers' Hub'.Write-Along Movies is a regular event, created and run by …
Picket Line Poetry in Hull
To celebrate National Writing Day 2019, First Story East Yorkshire collaborated with local partners to put on a packed day of activities culminating in an original event, 'Picket Line Poetry'. Working …
Why learning to use your voice is powerful
It is a quite a coincidence that National Writing Day is my first day in the job as CEO of First Story, the lead organisation behind the campaign. When I tell people I will be working in an …
The Fault in Our Stories
Every anthology that we publish includes an introduction by the school's Writer-in-Residence. This one is an excellent example, written by Mashuda Snaith to introduces the 2019 anthology by students …
#Merky Books Collaboration
Curated by Stormzy, #Merky Books is a home for a new generation of voices. An imprint of Penguin Random House UK, #Merky is dedicated to publishing the best new fiction, non-fiction and poetry. It …
