Penguin Random House UK has launched a Creative Responsibility Manifesto setting out a vision for the next five years. As part of this the company is forming a three-year partnership with creative writing and mentoring charity Ministry of Stories to bridge the creativity gap for at least 7,500 children across the UK. The intention is to help them express their creativity, to improve their writing, build confidence, self-respect and motivation, and achieve better results in the classroom. The publisher is to raise £100,000 for the charity in the first year.
Ministry of Stories co-founder and bestselling author Nick Hornby, said: ‘The UK is known throughout the world for its creative industries, be that film-making, music, books, plays. We punch way above our weight with our creativity. So why should that creativity only be drawn from a certain section of society? Ministry of Stories works in places where kids who are not given the opportunity to express their creativity can be helped to reach their potential. That’s what this partnership with Penguin Random House is about: unleashing young imaginations, and reaching beyond London to work with more children and schools nationwide.’