First Story and Cheltenham Festivals

First Story is very excited to announce that for the first time we are entering into a partnership with Cheltenham Festivals to run First Story residencies in three schools in Gloucestershire. We will be working in All Saints’ Academy (Cheltenham), Barnwood Park Arts College (Gloucester) and Gloucester Academy (Gloucester) with three fantastic writers, Cliff Yates, Jane Bailey and Alicia Stubbersfield.

Part of Cheltenham Festivals’ aim as an organisation is to widen access to life-long enjoyment, creativity and employment via science and the arts, and at First Story weare thrilled to be working with them to achieve that aim. We’re looking forward to a long and fruitful partnership with them, and can’t wait to get the programme started in the schools this month.

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I am now officially excited about the entire Cheltenham Festivals First Story experience. I’ve got a waiting list of girls who want to be involved and those invited are waving their golden tickets around like a scene from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory!

Amy Fitzgerald-Johnson, teacher at Barnwood Park Arts College

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I’m really pleased to be part of this exciting new partnership between Cheltenham Festivals and First Story and very much looking forward to working with the students at All Saints Academy. What a fantastic opportunity for young people – I wish it had been around when I was at school!

Cliff Yates, First Story Cheltenham Festivals Writer-in-Residence

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First Story is an inspired initiative aimed at helping young people find their voice. Now another dynamic institution, Cheltenham Festivals, is collaborating with them to bring their creativity into Gloucestershire schools. First Story is a vibrant and supportive organisation, and I’m really excited about starting up a creative writing group at Barnwood Park School this autumn.

Jane Bailey, First Story Cheltenham Festivals Writer-in-Residence