Over 80 students – Year 7 to Year 12 – from six London schools took part in our Connect event at the University of Greenwich in early July 2024.
Connect events are included in our offer for Young Writers Programme cohorts. As region-specific provision, these events encourage participants to connect with each other as a community of young writers, as well as strengthening connections to local universities and cultural institutions where events take place. The 2024 London event took place on 2nd July at the University of Greenwich.
At this year’s popular London event, a welcome address was given by Prof Paul Vlitos Academic Portfolio Lead for Creative Writing, before undergraduate Student Ambassadors guided participants to creative writing workshops taking place in seminar rooms around the historic campus.
It was a delight to once again welcome students, teachers and writers from First Story to the University of Greenwich’s Maritime Campus for First Story’s London Schools Connect event. There was a real sense of excitement and energy to the day and I am sure the day will have inspired, informed and given confidence to many aspiring young writers. Roll on next year!
Prof Vlitos, University of Greenwich
Students from the following schools took part: Aylward Academy (Enfield), George Green’s School (Tower Hamlets), Hampstead School (Camden), St Paul’s Way (Tower Hamlets), Kingsbury High School (Brent) and Skinners Academy (Hackney).
First Story Writers – Cecilia Knapp, Rachel Seiffert, Francesca Beard, Pete Hobbs, Michael Mann, Laurie Bolger, Adam Robinson and Alice Albinia lead creative writing workshop sessions throughout the day.
The day included tours around the university campus, followed by a showcase of the participants’ work, hosted by Francesca Beard and First Story London Programme Officer, Alice Frecknall.
Dr John Morton, Associate Professor of English Literature was full of praise for our young writers:
I was so impressed by the quality of the creative work that the students produced, in such a short space of time. From dystopian visions of the Isle of Dogs to moving confessional writing, the students demonstrated their amazing talent. I was also bowled over by their great confidence, reading their work to an audience of their friends and teachers, but also students from other schools and University staff.
Dr John Morton, University of Greenwich
Teacher feedback
It’s exciting to take out students to a new place with other students and new writers. It expands their world view.
Seeing the university and talking with Greenwich students is an invaluable experience.
[Visiting] universities is brilliant, and focusing on creativity and writing, meeting various authors.This is a very important part of the First Story experience for our students every year.
It’s really good for our students to have a day out and experience a different environment.
Participant feedback
I enjoyed meeting with other writers and meeting with my previous writer in residence – I liked that we get the opportunity to connect with writers, share our writing and get feedback.
I liked the diversity of writing techniques and freedom and the student ambassadors.
I liked how I was able to expand my knowledge and writing techniques and let my creative juices flow. This helped me because I was able to expand my writing skill and any possible career thoughts I’ve had.
I liked working with authors. It helped me understand more of what it’s like to be a writer.
It gives you confidence to express what you want by using writing.
Manchester Connect 2024
