First Story

🥳Happy National Writing Day 2026! 🥳

National Writing Day is an annual celebration of the pleasure and power of writing creatively, founded by First Story in 2017.

We've shared this year's writing activity over on our Instagram channel - do come and join in! (https://www.instagram.com/firststory_uk/).

Here's a great piece of reflection by First Story student Amaia from Longcroft School & Sixth Form College in Beverley, Yorkshire on why writing is so important.

Why Write?

Write for freedom. To give voice to people who cannot speak in this cruel world. Write for love. Twist every aching thought into a word or a sentence. Write for escape, to leave the cage that is our minds. Write for memories, to document each passing day, to remember how we felt.

We’re at UCL East’s campus in Stratford for our London Voice Connect Event!

Students from our London Voice Programme have come together for a day of writing and sharing, with hosting from and workshops from Arjunan Manuelpillai Adisa Stephen-Ezeocha Francesca Beard ✏️
_school Trinity Academy

We’re celebrating Pride Month by sharing LGBTQ+ book recommendations throughout the month from our Young Creatives Collective. This week, some classics:

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

The Colour Purple by Alice Walker

Orlando by Virginia Woolf

Goodbye to Berlin by Christopher Isherwood