By Alexia Augeri, Programme Officer, Story Starters

I am sure that many of you will have experienced the excitement of embarking on a brand new project, whether personal or professional. I can imagine you wanted to shout the good news about what you were doing. Some of you will also be familiar with the adrenaline that makes you want to meet as many people as you can to share why this new initiative is so important to you and how it will change the lives of many people around you. Last weekend those of us at Story Starters were able to do just this (and the adrenaline is still very much flowing!).

Story Starters is a brand new programme that gives nursery school children the language and communication skills they need to start school ready to learn and all set to reach for the stars. We recently launched the programme on Merseyside, so last week we headed up to Liverpool for two days to take part in Nursery World North 2017 to spread the word.

The event took place over the very sunny weekend of 5th & 6th May at the Exhibition Centre Liverpool, right off the Mersey river shores. Nursery World North provided two days of dedicated early years focused elements, including CPD-certified professional seminars, expert-led masterclasses, a free live theatre, nutrition zone and a wide-ranging exhibition of early years’ suppliers, organisations and other charities like ourselves.

We spent two excellent days surrounded by inspiring people working in the early years’ sector. It was incredible to notice how so many visitors were extremely passionate about early years literacy and the support and encouragement we received from them was unbelievable!

I really enjoyed seeing how so many of them offered to volunteer with Story Starters, signing up on our website right in front of us. Others brainstormed to help us recruit more people: a friend who’s enrolled in her early year degree course, a stay-at-home mum or dad who has some spare time during the week, an aunt who’s a bookworm herself and would love to help children develop their love for stories…all sort of suggestions were forwarded!

We’re now back in London in our Central Office, feeling energised by thinking about the time we’ve spent and the inspirational people we’ve met and looking forward to our next event. If you missed the show do not despair: on Tuesday 16th May we’ll be in Liverpool Central Library from 10am-2pm for a Story Starters Volunteer Drop In Day where you can discover the difference you can make to a child's life. 

If you'd like to become a Story Starter then you can apply today or give us a call on 0845 450 0301.