Participating in Stories of Care helped me develop an entirely new creative skill, interrogate my writing process, and inspired me to pursue a career writing children’s fiction.

Prior to the programme, I had always wanted to write for a younger audience but did not know how to approach writing children’s fiction. The focussed workshops offered throughout the process encouraged introspection and empathy with what it is like to be a child, inviting me to remember what it was that I valued in the stories I loved during my school years. 

This was immeasurably helpful and once I had realised the story I wanted to tell, Oliver and the team guided me in structuring the narrative making sure it was as accessible and enjoyable for children as possible. They helped me inject the surrealism and humour into it that I have always included in my work. They fostered my desire to mix my comedy writing with my children’s writing and I now feel I have developed a definitive identity as a children’s author and I cannot be more grateful.

The opportunity to attend and read an extract from my work at a Real Life Book Launch™ hosted at Sale Waterside Arts Centre, as well as have the book endorsed by Jacqueline Wilson was a dream come true. 

Earlier this year, a video was posted on social media by the Children’s Book Awards of a young pupil reading my story Cork! aloud.The realisation that my story (which was inspired by my experiences growing up with a large Irish family) is now being enjoyed by schoolchildren was a milestone in my creative life. It made me realise that I wished to pursue writing children’s fiction further.

I am currently in the midst of writing a new host of short stories, maintaining that sense of fun and surrealism, inspired by my own experiences in childhood. I hope to develop them into a new collection and have now been able to assemble a writing CV that lists me as a published author (with a quote from the author of Tracey Beaker!) that I can use to hopefully find myself a literary agent.

I am also exploring the idea of developing my Stories of Care contribution Cork! into a full length children’s novel – and potentially a stage show adaptation! These ambitions have been encouraged by Oliver and the team and the guidance they have offered during and after the official process has been invaluable. I am incredibly thankful for the opportunity to participate in Stories of Care and cannot wait to see what the future holds.

Fishing For Rainbows is Oliver Sykes’ second children’s book to be published.

Since Kezia’s mum passed away, her family has fallen into a strict routine. The boys and Dad go out fishing while she stays at home to tidy and cook. But Kezia has a plan, one that could transform her from a modern-day Cinderella into a super cool Fisher-Girl.What could possibly go wrong…?

Perfect for fans of Jacqueline Wilson, Phil Earle and Anthony McGowan!

Award-winning Children’s Author and Stories Of Care Lead Artist, Oliver Sykes, takes his smash-hit one man show to Schools and Arts venues across the UK. Featuring boxing action, surprising plot twists, compelling characters and an inspiring boy-hero, this funny and heart-warming show is guaranteed to pack a punch – for children aged 5+ and their grown-ups.Inspired by Oliver’s own experiences growing up without a mum and being coached as an amateur boxer by his dad, the show centres itself around shy twelve-year-old Alfie, as he decides to go in search of his missing older brother, Jacob, when he disappears moments before an all-important boxing match… On the surface, it’s a simple adventure story. But it’s also about love, loss, family and learning how to fight for what you want.

Stories Of Care: Chapter Two is our latest, large-scale, multi-platform creative writing and outreach project – and the blueprint for our long-term developmental programme, which we will deliver bi-annually.

Stories Of Care is expanding it’s core missions by working with a new and exciting Lead Artist from a different diverse background every two years. We will support each new Lead Artist as they explore their personal story and tap into it’s wider social narrative to make powerful, ambitious art and outreach that’s ring-fenced for young people from similar backgrounds.

This year’s new Lead Artist is our very own Producer, Oliver Sykes…

It became clear early on that Oliver was not only a great Producer, but a budding artist in his own right, with an important story to tell – growing up on a council estate, in a single-parent, low-income family on benefits – that couldn’t feel more urgent as we live through the extremities of poverty in a post covid-19 Britain. 

With Oliver as our new Lead Artist for Chapter Two, the Chapter One original remit (working exclusively with Care Leavers) will be widened to include young people from low-income and non-standard families.

And over the next 18 months we will deliver…

• A brand-new writing development programme for twelve diverse new writers from Greater Manchester. They will work closely with the Stories Of Care team to develop their first short children’s story and get it ready for publication. We intend for every one of the writers to ‘graduate’ from the programme with their first publishing credit, working in partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) and Manchester Children’s Book Festival.
• Our second vibrant children’s anthology for 7-12 year-olds, written by our participants and published by MMU.
• 1000 free copies of the anthology will be given to children from Care Experienced, Low Income and Non-Standard family backgrounds.
• The creation and publication of Oliver’s dazzling debut children’s novel, inspired by his experience growing up in a single parent low income family of boxers. 
• A children’s theatre adaptation of Oliver’s novel, created and performed by Oliver and directed by Dominic Berry (an established theatre performer/director also from a low-income, single-parent family).
• A national tour of Oliver’s show to libraries, boxing clubs and theatres, with a robust and unique outreach package, ring-fenced for our remit of children and young people.
• Three brand-new paid (at living wage) positions, ring-fenced for previous (Care Experienced) Stories Of Care participants. They will receive mentor support and specialised training, to work across different departments such as Youth Liaison, Marketing and Project Management.

In a commitment to continued professional – and organizational – development, Stories of Care will also promote three previous participants to the roles of Production Assistant. These are paid roles that will utilize their experience from the first project to enhance the project and further develop them as creative leaders. 

Partners: Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Manchester, Buxton Amateur Boxing Club, Greater Manchester Higher, Manchester Children’s Book Festival, Manchester Metropolitan University, Moss Side Firestation Boxing Club, Reform Radio, Stanley Grove Primary School, Swiis Foster Care, Trafford Council and Z-Arts. Supported using public funding by Arts Council England. Supported by The National Lottery’s Community Fund. 

Stories Of Care: Chapter One was our first high-quality, multi-platform, participatory arts project, with founder Sophie Willan as the Lead Artist. 

Based on Sophie’s personal experiences, the project focussed on redressing the underrepresentation of Care-experienced young people and the misrepresentation of welfare recipients and mental health and social service users. 

Over two and a half years, Stories Of Care: Chapter One delivered…

• A participatory-led writing programme, ring-fenced for Care Experienced Young People, resulting in a published Children’s anthology
• Over 1500 free copies of the children’s anthology, written exclusively by Care Leavers, to children in Care
• On Record; a deeply personal stand-up-theatre show, written and performed by Sophie that chronicled her experience in the Care System. The show went to Edinburgh Fringe Festival where it received a sell-out run, huge critical acclaim and an adaptation for a Radio Four series.
• An extensive national tour of On Record with a robust and unique outreach package; ring-fencing writing workshops for Care Leavers and subsidising tickets for Care Leavers, welfare recipients and mental health and social service users.
• Sophie’s follow up show, Branded; exploring identity-politics, class, sex-work and feminism for working class women. The show went to Edinburgh Festival receiving phenomenal critical acclaim, a sell out-run, a Herald Angel Award and an Edinburgh Comedy Award nomination for Best Show. 
• A large national tour of Branded, with another extensive outreach strand, designated for care leavers, sex workers, welfare recipients and mental health and social service users. 

Coming soon!

From a new wave of breathtakingly brilliant children’s writers – eleven brand-new original tales featuring the boldest, the bravest and the most beautiful cast of characters this side of anywhere!

Like Jumpy Jess – a girl on a mission to catch a vampire before it catches her!
Or Daring Dermot – a boy-singer who lies his way to the top of the global music charts!
Like Courageous Kimberley – a girl whose life is thrown into chaos when she discovers a lump under her arm!
And who could forget? Amazing Alfie – a boy who volunteers to take his big brother’s place in the boxing ring against the big, beastly Boy-Giant!

Discover why Franny Georgette Tinkleboom has been travelling around the world in a van that has giant mouse ears…

And why Spike, the most mischievous hedgehog in Rivington Pike, keeps wandering off into the dark night…

And what happens when you drink a wicked orange potion like Alicia Moonfall …

Tales of the Weird, the Wild and the Wonderful is a dazzling collection of short stories, jam-packed with rambunctious characters on daring adventures!

In 2016 Writer and Care Leaver, Sophie Willan, turned her focus to a group of Care Leavers in the North West of England. Together with Sophie they have created a tremendously vibrant anthology inspired by their experiences and fired by their imaginations.

Tales of the Weird, the Wild and the Wonderful is the first of its kind; a collection of short stories written exclusively by Care Leavers for children.