Annual Review
A look back at 2023/24
It’s a strange quirk of the way that charities operate that by the time we have prepared our annual accounts, had our figures reviewed, approved and published, it is months later and it’s easy to forget what we achieved and mark those achievements!
But this month, we publish our latest annual report, which rightly celebrates what our young writers achieved in 2023/24.
In 2023/24 we supported a record 3,925 young people from our local community – that’s a 42% increase on the previous year. As I wrote in the introduction to the report, it is a great privilege to be in the room when our young writers are in full flow.
You never know where our young people’s imaginations are going to take us next – but you do know it will never be what you expect! They have the ability to challenge, to surprise, for us to laugh outrageously together, to find great mischief in something silly, to be deeply moving, or to think about the world from a different perspective – often many of these things at the same time.
Read our 23/24 Annual Review in numbers
We place great value on amplifying our young people’s voices through beautifully designed publications, anthologies, and last year, even an exhibition of their work. All of our programmes are co-created with our young people – their bold, ambitious, playful ideas – and last year was no different. The quality of the writing our young people produce is astounding – and time and again this shines through.
We are ever grateful to our remarkable volunteers – totalling 218 in 2023/24 – who give their time to support our young people. They always welcome our young writers with a warm, friendly and genuine smile. They listen carefully, offer support and assurance, and show our young writers just how important their voices really are. And as always, our team, families, funders and supporters are also the engine behind our young people’s success.
We wouldn’t be the Ministry of Stories without you.
Thank you,
Rob Smith
Director