Minister of the Month – Eva

Meet out Minister of the Month Eva. Eva is a super committed Fearless Shopkeeper, bringing real flair to her interaction with our monstrous customers.

Name: Eva

Volunteer role: Shopkeeper

Hail from: A few streets from Hoxton Street Monster Supplies

Favourite story and why:

What a difficult question! There are loads. As a small child my grandma used to tell me stories of a man living in the woods who is friends with the forest spirits. Together we imagined his adventures and with help from my grandpa built a little house for the forest spirits in the garden. This was essentially creative writing without the writing part.

Tell us a little bit about yourself:

I am an avid reader. I love reading so much that I even read the text on the back of my toothpaste. Also, I am told that I have a vivid imagination.  And you might notice that I love starting sentences with words such as ‘and’ or ‘but’.

Why did you decide to volunteer with Ministry of Stories?

Who wouldn’t jump at the opportunity to work in a shop for monsters? Even better that all proceeds from Hoxton Street Monster Supplies support creative writing sessions for children at the Ministry.

Were you nervous about anything before starting?

My biggest worry was who (or what) I might encounter among our monstrous customers. The bite mark in one of the shelves (the one shaped like a monster’s jaw) is also slightly unsettling.

What has been the best experience of volunteering?

There are many. Spending a few hours packing a home delivery for the Prince of Darkness or preparing tins with a Vague Sense of Unease is extremely enjoyable. But the best thing is when children who attended Ministry of Stories workshops come to the shop and tell us how much they enjoyed them. 

What has been the most unexpected thing about volunteering?

How much fun even the most mundane tasks in the shop can be. And how nice all our (monster) customers are.

Has volunteering changed anything in your life?

I have met many interesting people and other beings I would have never met otherwise. 

Describe the Ministry of Stories in three words:

So much fun. 

What would you say to other people thinking of volunteering with the Ministry?

Give it a try, you will enjoy it. It is absolutely not essential to have a writing background.