• 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 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

team

We’re a small but mighty team, with some core staff based at our London HQ, whilst our programme staff live and work in the communities we serve.

Sophie Hiscock

CEO

Sophie has worked for over 30 years in senior marketing, communications and fundraising roles across the charitable, education and arts sectors, most recently with The Story Museum in Oxford before joining First Story in February 2025. As a lifelong believer in the power of words, Sophie particularly enjoys finding ways to share the impact that creative writing and reading has on individual lives.

    Bethan Goddard

    Head of Programmes

    Bethan leads the delivery and development of First Story programmes. She has a background in leadership and management in non-profit organisations. A former English teacher with a love of literature and writing, she is driven by a career long focus on creating equality of opportunity for young people.

      Ruth O’Malley

      Head of Development

      Ruth joined First Story in 2024 from the children’s literacy charity Doorstep Library. With over 15 years of experience in fundraising, including roles at Little Angel Theatre, Chickenshead Theatre, and the Almeida Theatre, Ruth is passionate about removing barriers to access the arts and the importance of storytelling.

        Medhat Gindi

        Finance & Operations Manager

        Medhat joined First Story in 2024, driven by his passion for empowering children and young people from diverse backgrounds to express themselves through literature. Before this, he held key roles at a non-profit children’s literature agency and a charity focused on delivering healthcare support to deprived areas in the Middle East.

          Annette Brook

          Communications & Marketing Manager

          Annette joined First Story in 2023. She has a background in literature comms having previously worked for the Royal Society of Literature and the writer development charity Spread the Word. Annette is on the Advisory Board of Words of Colour and is a playwright.

            Ellen Waters

            Operations Assistant

            Ellen joined the team in 2025 with a background in literature and arts marketing. Committed to widening access in the arts, she previously worked for the nonprofit Write the World and has co-edited two literary magazines platforming Northern creatives. She is a poet and a member of The Writing Squad.

              Rachael Bamber

              Senior Programme & Partnerships Manager

              Rachael supports our programmes in the North West and joined our team in October 2023.  She has worked with young people in school and community settings since 2009.  With a background in Youth Theatre, Rachael believes that everyone should engage in artistic opportunities and believes in the transformative power of creative engagement with young people. She is committed to enabling all young people’s voices to be heard.

                Alice Frecknall

                Programme & Partnerships Manager (London)

                Alice supports our programmes in London, including managing First Story’s London Voice oracy pilot and Folio Academy Mentorship programme. She joined First Story in 2023 with a background in arts marketing and administration, having previously worked at organisations including Apples and Snakes and English PEN. Alice is also a poet, short fiction writer and fine artist, and a freelance proofreader and copyeditor.  
                  Ali Johnson

                  Ali Johnson

                  Interim Programme & Partnerships Manager (London)

                  Ali is providing interim cover for our London Region. He has previously spent two years as Programme Manager for the Yorkshire Region. He’s passionate about using creative platforms to empower and amplify young voices. 
                    Sairish Hussain

                    Sairish Hussain

                    Programme & Partnerships Manager (Yorkshire)

                    Sairish supports our programmes in the Yorkshire region. She is a novelist and former Lecturer in Creative Writing. She taught at the University of Huddersfield after completing her PhD in 2019. Sairish first joined First Story as a Writer-in-Residence in 2022 before transitioning to Programme & Partnerships Manager in 2025. She is passionate about underrepresented voices and making the arts inclusive for all. 

                      Lauren Moores

                      Publishing Intern

                      Lauren is gaining experience in editorial and project management whilst supporting young writers projects that foster their creativity. She is a recent English Literature graduate from the University of Salford. Her dissertation explored the significance of the teenage girl as a catalyst for revolution in The Hunger Games Trilogy.

                        Pippa Hennessy

                        Programme & Partnerships Manager (East Midlands)

                        Pippa supports our programmes in the East Midlands, with a focus on writer development. Formerly in IT, in 2008 she discovered a passion for writing which she enthusiastically shares with everyone around her. She is determined to give as many young people as possible the opportunity to write, having seen the difference it makes to their confidence, prospects and enjoyment of life. 

                          Ciara Boss

                          Assistant Festival Producer Intern

                          Ciara recently graduated from the University of Manchester with a degree in Film Studies and English Literature. She has experience producing student short films and filmmaking events at university, and is working with First Story to gain professional experience in creative events production

                            Rose Condo

                            Young Creatives Manager


                            Rose joined the First Story team in 2025 and supports the development of the Young Creatives programme. She is a writer and performance poet and loves exploring using creative writing for wellbeing. She has lots of experience in building arts projects and is a keen believer in how creative engagement can support young people and communities to thrive.  

                              trustees

                              Edward Baden-Powell

                              Chair

                              Ed is our Chair of Trustees and has provided pro bono legal advice to us since we started.  Ed is a partner at Simkins LLP, focussing on entertainment, and a published author of legal works.  Ed has a lifelong interest in creativity, before becoming a solicitor, he was a music producer, winning a MOBO award and producing several platinum records.

                                Susan Horner

                                Trustee

                                Sue’s commitment to young people and creative writing began early in her career as an English teacher and continued through to her last post as Director of Curriculum for England. The power of words to change lives inspires her longstanding commitment to First Story. Sue is also on the board of Coventry University and a charity in Rwanda.

                                  Sarah Marshall

                                  Trustee

                                  Sarah has spent her career as a consultant for McKinsey and Company and then in asset management as an analyst specialising in consumer and retail equities.  She is also a founder trustee and Chair of Finance of the Wandle Learning Trust, a newly formed growing Multi Academy Trust in South London containing both primary and secondary schools.

                                    Bobby Nayyar

                                    Trustee

                                    Bobby is Programme Manager at Spread the Word, London’s writer development agency. He has been working in the literature sector for over 15 years, as a publisher, writer and creative practitioner. He is passionate about diversifying the pool of writers who become published authors and advocating for change in the publishing industry.

                                      Gerry Robinson

                                      Trustee

                                      Gerry is Executive Headteacher of Haringey Learning Partnership (HLP), a network of alternative provision schools. Prior to moving into alternative provision, Gerry was headteacher of a local mainstream secondary school. Gerry is an activist who is committed to tackling social injustice through inclusive education. Gerry is a Collective Ed Fellow, member of the LGBTEd Advisory Board, a regular contributor to Schools Week and part of the Alternative Provision Research Network Steering Board.

                                        Carey Scott

                                        Treasurer

                                        Carey Scott works in structured finance and has spent her career in the finance sector in a variety of roles from finance to treasury to trading, and is a qualified chartered accountant. 
                                         
                                        A strong believer in diversity, equity and inclusion, Carey is passionate about First Story’s vision to help young people reach their full potential, and is proud to contribute her financial acumen to help others access and enjoy literature

                                          Chloe Holland

                                          Trustee

                                          Chloe is a Bradford based teacher with a passion for making writing exciting. As an alumni of First Story, she knows first hand the impact that the Young Writers Programme has on students’ lives. Chloe has been a keen supporter of First Story for the past 10 years, staying in regular contact throughout her undergraduate and masters degrees. She has an interest in technology and using this to inspire creativity

                                            Lauren Shapiro

                                            Trustee

                                            Lauren has spent her career working in assessment and education technology. Having started her career as a teacher and whole school reading coordinator at a London secondary school, she was lucky enough to run the First Story Young Writers Programme and see its impact first hand. Lauren is committed to sparking imagination and igniting creativity in young people to help them realise their full potential  

                                              Hannah Brown

                                              Trustee

                                              Hannah is an experienced senior civil servant, with a career spanning strategy development, governance, leadership and partnerships in a number of policy areas. Hannah has long been committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, and her voluntary roles have included working with children to inspire a lovely of literacy.

                                                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