• Login
  • Donate
  • Programmes
    • Young Writers Programme
    • London Voice
    • Connect events
    • Young Writers Festival
    • Young Mentors
    • Young Writers Residential
    • Folio Academy Mentorships
    • Philip Pyke Memorial Prize
    • National Writing Day
  • Writers
    • Our ambassadors
    • Our writers
    • Become a First Story writer
  • Schools
    • Partner schools HUB
    • Resources for partner schools
    • Become a partner school
    • Sample writing by participants
    • Free writing resources
    • Free Festival Toolkit
    • Free copyright education resources
    • BBC Teach x First Story resources
  • Locations
    • East Midlands
    • Greater London
    • North West
    • Yorkshire
  • About
    • About First Story
    • News
    • Impact Report 2023/24
    • Impact stories
    • Staff and trustees
    • Vacancies
  • Support
    • Ways to support
    • Newsletter sign-up
    • Make a donation
  • Menu
  • Skip to left header navigation
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

First Story

Creative writing charity for young people

  • Login
  • Donate
  • Programmes
    • Young Writers Programme
    • London Voice
    • Connect events
    • Young Writers Festival
    • Young Mentors
    • Young Writers Residential
    • Folio Academy Mentorships
    • Philip Pyke Memorial Prize
    • National Writing Day
  • Writers
    • Our ambassadors
    • Our writers
    • Become a First Story writer
  • Schools
    • Partner schools HUB
    • Resources for partner schools
    • Become a partner school
    • Sample writing by participants
    • Free writing resources
    • Free Festival Toolkit
    • Free copyright education resources
    • BBC Teach x First Story resources
  • Locations
    • East Midlands
    • Greater London
    • North West
    • Yorkshire
  • About
    • About First Story
    • News
    • Impact Report 2023/24
    • Impact stories
    • Staff and trustees
    • Vacancies
  • Support
    • Ways to support
    • Newsletter sign-up
    • Make a donation

Her Majesty The Queen celebrates First Story’s 15th birthday

12 July 2023 //  by First Story

Her Majesty, who became First Story’s Patron in 2011, held a reception at Clarence House on 11 July to celebrate 15 years of our work empowering young people with the confidence and skills to tell their own stories. During the reception, The Queen met First Story guests including programme alumni, writers, teachers, supporters and trustees.  
 

  • Photo by Ian Jones
  • Photo by Ian Jones
  • Photo by Ian Jones
  • Photo by Ian Jones

Guests included: First Story’s co-founders Will Fiennes and Katie Waldegrave MBE; former Chairs Charlotte Hogg and Drea Minton Beddoes and our current Chair, Ed Baden-Powell; First Story writers Ashley Hickson-Lovence, Rachel Seiffert and Francesca Beard; First Story Ambassadors Tracy Chevalier and Patrice Lawrence MBE; Young Writers Programme alumni Habiba Desai (co-founder of independent publisher Fox and Windmill Books), Chloe Holland and Priya Gill; and many of our funders, donors and supporters. 

Antonia Byatt, CEO of First Story, gave a speech in which she thanked the many long-standing supporters in the room who have helped First Story reach this milestone anniversary.

Photo by Ian Jones

From a single pilot school in 2007, First Story programmes now run in London, across the East Midlands and Yorkshire, and this year we launched in Manchester. Over the years we’ve published over 550 brilliant anthologies and worked with over 10,000 young people in the Young Writers Programme – and even more through competitions, live events and National Writing Day. So many incredible teachers have benefited too; we know that working alongside a professional writer can really improve their confidence in teaching creative writing. We’ve also worked with an extraordinary host of professional writers. 

Antonia Byatt, First Story CEO

Daniella Koranteng, who participated in our Young Writers Programme in 2021/22, whilst a student at Skinners’ Academy in north London, was invited to read at the event. The piece she chose to perform developed on a poem originally published in her First Story’s group’s anthology.

Photo by Ian Jones
Photo by Ian Jones

Once I was the ground  
I never had nothing   
Just the brown dirt rich with nutrients  
The potential for success  
A total mess, rough nothing more nothing less  

extract from an untitled poem read by Daniella Koranteng, a First Story alumna
Photo by Ian Jones

Another Young Writers Programme alumna, Priya Gill from Derby, presented Her Majesty with a selection of First Story anthologies. Alongside her keen interest in supporting young people’s literacy, Queen Camilla is known to be an avid reader.

Look out for more news on our 15th birthday activities. Sign up to our newsletter here. 

Category: 15th birthday, News

Previous Post: « Eco-poetry competition winners 2023
Next Post: Folio mentorships 2023 showcase »

Primary Sidebar

Newsletter

Above Footer

First Story's funders include

Footer

Contact us

44 Webber Street
London
SE1 8QW

020 7481 7777

info@firststory.org.uk

  • First Story East Midlands
  • First Story London
  • First Story North West
  • First Story Yorkshire
  • Vacancies
  • Diversity and Inclusion
  • Safeguarding
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Notice
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube

Site Footer

© First Story Ltd. All rights reserved | Registered Charity No: 1122939 | Company No: 06487410