Shhh! Secret volunteer recruitment

Imagine you’re reading the latest novel by your favourite author and you’re just getting to the juicy bit.

The hero discovers a secret plot against them and the enemy, lurking in the shadows, is about to reveal their identity.

You turn the page, filled with nervous apprehension, and slowly begin to read the words:

‘Chapter 1. The Egg Yolk Pirate versus Mr Grimm. One blistering morning there was a pirate called Captain Egg Yolk and he didn’t like people coming into his way while he was on his journey.’

Captain Egg Yolk, not exactly the enemy you were expecting! This is in fact the start of an original story written by one of our young writers. The story inserts will be popping up in bookshops across London this month – thanks to PR agency Leo Burnett – as part of a drive to get more people volunteering with our Junior Ministers as writing mentors, illustrators and publishers.

The inserts have also snuck into orphaned books on the tube network thanks to Books on the Underground.

Have you found one? Tweet us @mini_stories #secretstory.

Find out more about volunteering here.