Ways to support
We’re a charity, reliant on funds raised from trusts and foundations, companies and generous individuals to enable our work. Although partner schools contribute to the cost of our provision, our programmes are majority funded by voluntary support. Please help however you can.
Become a Friend of First Story
Commit to a monthly donation of £50 (or an annual gift of £600) and join some of our closest supporters, the Friends of First Story. Our Friends are a vitally important group helping to fund our core programmes year round. To thank you for your ongoing support, you’ll receive an annual Impact Report, priority news and invitations to our events.
I support First Story because it is small, focused and has great impact.
Beth colocci, First Editions Group
Fundraise for us
With so many fun and rewarding ways to inspire donations from your family, friends, colleagues and community, whatever support you can give will make a huge difference. Could you organise your own event? How about taking on a sponsored challenge? You can even donate proceeds from the sale of tickets or products… Whatever you choose to do, we’ll promote your fundraising efforts through our website and digital channels.
Corporate support
Join large corporate supporters like Man Group and Wellington UK, and smaller organisations like Wordbank, by making First Story your company’s charity of choice. From sponsorship and corporate giving, to employee fundraising and pro bono support, we’re keen to partner with values-aligned businesses of all sizes. We could help each other achieve incredible things for young people.
It was fun to take part in the Wordbank virtual relay to raise money for First Story. Even though it was virtual, it was still a great way to connect with my colleagues.
BERT VANMUYSEN, Wordbank employee
Giving in memory
We regularly hear from supporters who want to make a donation to honour the memory of a loved one. Donors sometimes tell us they chose First Story because their loved one valued education, and knew how it can change the course of a life. Sometimes it’s simply that the loved one cherished creative writing. If you’d like to remember someone’s life with a gift to First Story, please get in touch.
Legacy giving
By leaving even a small amount to First Story in your will, you can give the gift of creative writing to future generations. If you are considering this form of giving, please don’t hesitate to contact us for practical advice or support. And please let us know if you have already remembered us in your will, so that we can say thank you in person.
How your support impacts young people’s lives…
Ravena Guron’s Story
Ravena completed the First Story Young Writers Programme at Wembley High Technology College in 2013 with Writer-in-Residence Peter Hobbs. Having earned two degrees, in biochemistry and law Ravena is now a celebrated young adult fiction author, with three titles published by Faber & Faber. Her book The Thief of Farrowfell was shortlisted for Penguin’s WriteNow scheme. …
Danny’s Story
Danny completed the First Story Young Writers Programme at Nottingham Academy in 2018. In 2021, he suffered a traumatic brain injury and used his writing skills to help in his recovery. In 2024, he combined these skills with his experience as a young carer to lead a Nottingham Poetry Festival featured project, working with young …
Safaa’s Story
Safaa Sobri is a student at Co-op Academy Grange in Bradford where she worked with Writers-in-Residence Dan Ingram Brown and Sairish Hussain. Safaa was selected to attend First Story’s Summer Residential in 2022, attending the week long course at Arvon’s Lumb Bank in West Yorkshire. She plans to go to university in the future and …
Lily’s Story
Lily completed the First Story Young Writers Programme at The Dukeries Academy in 2022. Since then she has attended the Summer Residential and was awarded a place on our Folio Mentoring scheme. She was mentored by Diana Evans on developing her poetry and a short novel. She has recently taken a place at Oxford Brookes …
Khaya’s Story
Since completing our Young Writers Programme at Nottingham Academy in 2014, Khaya has created Femme Fatale Gals, an annual magazine and self-empowerment platform for girls and women. She has worked with creative organisations across the region to deliver writing and wellbeing workshops for students, young people and adults. Khaya continues to write stories and songs, …
Daniella’s Story
Daniella, who attends Skinners Academy in London, took part in our 2021-22 Young Writers Programme. She then applied for and won a place on First Story’s summer residential at Arvon Lumb Bank. Daniella has since signed up for First Story’s Young Ambassadors programme and continues to get involved in organising creative writing activities in her …
Cheyenne’s Story
Whilst taking part in the Young Writers Programme at Hull College, Cheyenne entered First Story’s 100 Word Story competition, placing third nationally. After the programme, Cheyenne applied for and won a coveted place on the Rathbones Folio Mentorships scheme in the 2021/22 cohort. Read an extract of Cheyenne’s writing here >
Emily’s Story
Emily took part in the Young Writers Programme during the pandemic, as a sixth form student at Dukeries Academy in Nottingham. In July 2021 she secured one of 16 places on First Story’s summer (virtual) residential writing course. Afterwards she applied successfully to take part in the Rathbones Folio Mentorships scheme during 2021/22. Emily also …
Baran’s Story
After completing the Young Writers Programme during 2021 at Commerce House, a PRU in Haringey, North London, Baran received his GCSE results and enrolled at the College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London. Read Baran’s poem ‘Baran in Wood Green’ >
Habiba’s Story
Habiba studied English Literature and Creative Writing at the University of Huddersfield, where she was Student Ambassador. In 2018 she was selected to attend Penguin Random House’s WriteNowLive event. Since graduating she has held roles at Vintage, Waterstones and the Bradford Literature Festival. Habiba is the Co-Founder of Fox and Windmill Books, an independent publishing …
Priya’s Story
Priya completed the Young Writers Programme in 2019–20 at Landau Forte College in Derby, working with the Writer-in-Residence, Joe Marsh. The following year she was awarded a coveted Rathbone’s Folio Prize Mentorship, working with poet Kathryn Maris. Priya is a poet, a First Story Ambassador and also Derby’s Deputy Youth Mayor. She was commissioned to create …
Weronika’s Story
Weronika completed the First Story Young Writers Programme at John Leggott College in Scunthorpe during the 2019–20 academic year, working with the writer Joe Hakim. She was one of five alums who participated in the prestigious Folio Prize Mentorship programme where she worked with the novelist Nikesh Shukla.
