In January 2014 Plymouth University opened The Writing Café, a flexible learning space which challenges the notion that writing is a solitary occupation. Since then a team of trained writing mentors have worked to promote literacy through the development of a comfortable creative space where writing workshops and mentoring sessions can be held successfully. A large part of our work revolves around offering peer support to students with academic and creative writing projects. Through our work we aim to develop writing confidence in the students we mentor. 

Now we are looking to extend our impact into the community by raising money for the National Literacy Trust. In the UK as many as one person in six has poor literacy skills. This holds them back from not only the freedom of being able to express themselves effectively, but also throughout their day to day lives. As children they often struggle to succeed at school, while as young adults they can incur difficulties entering the job market. As parents they may be unable to support their child's learning.

Speaking as an academic and creative writer, I can't begin to explain the freedom and pleasure I gain from my literacy skills and equally, the sadness I feel when I consider that not everyone shares this joy.

Consequently, as a team of writers, we at the Writing Cafe are planning to undertake a 24-hour writing marathon. By doing so, we will raise money that supports and develops literacy amongst some of the UK’s most disadvantaged groups. This task will involve us collectively writing non-stop throughout the entire day and night. At the end of the period we hope to publish our work in a collection of short fiction.

I am fairly certain that by four in the morning, as the rest of the world sleeps, the joy of writing will be wearing thin for the mentor team. Consequently, we are imploring you to dig deep and provide us with the encouragement that I’m sure we’ll need. More importantly though, I am asking you to help us support literacy in the UK.

If you want to stay up-to-date please follow the links below to both our blog and Facebook page.

Hannah and the Plymouth University Writing Mentor Team