With current government advice in mind, First Story’s Chief Executive, Antonia Byatt, responds to the uncertainty surrounding the outbreak of COVID-19.
As schools close this week, I wanted to update you on how First Story is dealing with Covid-19.
All our staff are now home working and are continuing to ensure we complete all our school programmes for 2020. Our writers are working with students and teachers to produce the best set of anthologies possible in these extraordinary circumstances. Writing can be incredibly powerful in challenging times and we hope our anthologies can be bright and inspiring moments for next term. We’re working on the best ways to share the anthologies from this year too.
We are also totally committed to our First Story writers who all do such a brilliant job. We know how worrying times are for freelancers. We will ensure they are paid for their work and we’ll do our very best to support them in any other way we can.
National Writing Day is unlikely to be celebrated in schools this year but we can celebrate it with schools, students and parents. We’ll be working with partners to produce the highest quality resources and virtual activities for 2020. Sharing our thoughts and craft, finding occasions to do things together and reducing isolation are going to be so important over the next few months.
Finally, I wanted to thank all our partners – schools, donors, volunteers – as a small charity, we really appreciate all the support you give us. It is good to know you are there.
With warmest thanks,
Antonia Byatt
Chief Executive
Regional Writing Stars – Autumn term