First Story Summer Residential

July 2011

A 700 year old house in Somerset was the inspirational location for our third First Story summer residential trip in July. Thirty-two First Story students spent five days writing, under the expert guidance of four experienced First Story writers. No fewer than 300 stories, poems and scripts were scribbled down during the week’s workshops and tutorials. But enough from us; the trip was all about the kids, so it is only right that they share their experiences:

‘It started with a coach ride, and it ended with a coach ride, but no two trips could have been more different. On the journey to Somerset, we sized each other up, identified which volunteers would be the strictest, and envied those who already knew somebody else there. But on the way home, the atmosphere in the coach reflected what kind of week we’d all had - it was alive with jokes, memories and promises to add one another on Facebook. The only upset was the people who had taken a different coach back were already being missed.
‘Why were these two journeys so different? I think I speak for all of us when I say it was because, on the way there, we didn’t know what to expect, but on the way back, we felt that that week was more than we ever could have expected anyway.’

‘I enjoyed everything – making friends, workshops, tutorials, the whole experience.’

‘It was an amazing experience to work with four writers and have feedback on our work from them.’

‘It was a fantastic week and everybody was really friendly and inspirational.’