Every good story starts with a pencil and a notebook. 

Within a week of joining the team in October, I found myself in a storymaking workshop, being bossed around over a tannoy by an unseen grumpy Chief. I spiral bound a child's story that was 'hot off the press' that very morning. I sat in our Monster Supplies shop to discuss a new product sourced from Cyclops and some sheep. I helped a child find one of every coloured pen, so that he could finally settle and start writing in yellow, then green, then pink. I realised the importance of half a breadstick and the meaning of 'pick pick, flick flick'.

It's been quite a ride. 

So on top of my really quite busy day job at the Ministry of Stories, I decided to do a little bit more. Just like everyone else does when they support the charity. I'm not a writer or illustrator. I do not have much of a back catalogue of historical monster knowledge I can draw from. But I can run a bit. And I'm turning 40 and I don't need lots of presents. (We'll gloss over the fact that I haven't run properly for years and my only ever half marathon was nine years ago. Err.).

The Ministry of Stories runs on a shoestring through a small staff team and the passion, patience and power of a mighty army of volunteers. 

It doesn't take an enormous amount of money for us to help more than 1,000 children a year, but we want to keep our after school and weekend clubs free for local East End children. We also want to offer more schools the chance to experience our workshops at an affordable rate.

Through all this, we hope to inspire the next generation of writers.

It would be amazing if you could contribute £3 towards a few pencils, £5 towards a pack of colouring pens, £10 to buy the coffee for our volunteers, £20 to keep the lights on in our workshops or £50 to help with our rent. In exchange, we'll provide fuel for the imagination and help bring the writer out in every child.

Thank you for anything you can add to the pot. I can guarantee it will be put to good use - I look after the finances!

Lots of love, Kirsty x