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Grimm & Co is a non-profit creative writing organisation based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire. It was founded in 2016, and focuses on encouraging literacy skills and confidence in young people aged 7-18, with a focus on those who are disadvantaged. Grimm & Co champions the writer in every child, changing lives one story at a time.

Contents

1

History

2

Programs

2.1

Workshops

2.1.1

Story Making

2.1.2

Comedy Writing

2.1.3

Product Development

2.2

Out of School Clubs

2.3

School Visits

3

Apothecary

4

References

Overview[ edit source]
Grimm & Co was founded by Deborah Bullivant. In 2009 she was asked by Rotherham Council to lead a study into the effect of creative literacy approaches on Year 6 SATs results, due to low results in the borough. Funded by the Regional Development Agency, Bullivant led a study alongside the University of Sheffield, and discovered that the most effective way to improve literacy skills was one-on-one mentoring and the use of creative stimuli. The 'Inspire Rotherham' model was trialled across all primary schools in Rotherham, and within a year boys’ SATs results had improved by 11%, among children with English as an additional language, results for reading and writing were 22% higher. After the trial had ended, Bullivant looked to continue creative approaches to building literacy skills. Inspired by other creative writing charities such as the Ministry of Stories and the TED Talk 'Once Upon a School' led by American author Dave Eggers, founder of 826 Valencia, she secured funding from Arts Council England to create a partner organisation for Yorkshire with the theme of an apothecary for magical beings. To achieve this vision she partnered with Sheffield-based design company Side By Side and a team of volunteers to renovate a disused pub in Rotherham town centre. Grimm & Co's Apothecary To The Magical first opened its doors on 29th February, 2016.

Grimm & Co has recently received further funding from the Arts Council and purchased Grade II-listed Talbot Lane Methodist Church located opposite Rotherham Town Hall. Grimm & Co plans to move its writing centre to the new premises in 2021.

Since opening, Grimm and Co has offered workshops to 10,837 children and young people from across the north of England. Grimm and Co is supported by over 150 volunteers and has a number of patrons including Joanne Harris, Ian McMillan, Paul Clayton, Sir Paul Collier, Abi Elphinstone, Mark Gatiss and Chris Mould.

In 2019 Grimm & Co received funding from the education charity SHINE, through their Bridging the Gap fund, to create an immersive theatre experience in seven different schools in South Yorkshire. Working with design directors Side by Side, Grimm & Co built an immersive space with props, lighting and audio-visual effects which can be transported into schools. Over a two-week period, actors and facilitators take children on a journey through secret doors and their imaginations to recover Graham Grimm's lost story. In this magical space the young people build confidence in writing their own stories and exploring their own ideas and imaginations.

In May 2020, working with patron Paul Clayton, Grimm & Co hosted a showcase of young people's writing called ‘Here Not There’ where young peoples' stories were read by a number of notable actors and writers including Gary Oldman, Olivia Colman,

Mark Gatiss, David Mitchell, Indira Varma, Jeremy Dyson, Joanne Harris and Lucy Benjamin.

Story Making[ edit source]
Story making workshops are run for children between Year 2 (age 7) and Year 7 (age 11). A group of up to 30 children are led by an artist facilitator through an activity to create the basis of a brand new story, including original characters, a setting, a plot and a title, and then create the beginning and middle of the story in smaller groups with the support of a volunteer writing mentor. The session culminates with each child writing their own ‘excellent ending’ to the story, again supported by volunteer mentors. The full stories, including each child’s individual ending, are then published and bound into books for pupils to take home and keep.

Comedy Writing[ edit source]
This is a workshop offered for older pupils from the age of Year 7 (age 11) to Year 9 (age 14). Co-written by Jeremy Dyson, the workshop looks at the basics of comedy writing before giving students a chance to create their own ideas in groups for a sitcom, before presenting their thoughts to the rest of the class.

Product Development[ edit source]
This is a two-part programme offered to pupils in school Year 7 (age11) to Year 9 (age 14). In the first session, through analysing a selection of products sold to magical beings at Grimm & Co's Apothecary, for example 'Grandma's Scabs' (donated by local free-range Grannies), 'Disenchanted Wood' and tins of 'Disappointment', the group follow a range of activities around enterprising literacy and work towards presenting their own brand new product suitable for a magical being in the second session. During the second session pupils present their ideas in a 'dragon's den' style, demonstrating all they have learned about audience, literary techniques and marketing.

Out of School Clubs[ edit source]
A wide variety of Out of School Clubs are offered for young people to attend from the ages of 7 to 18. These occur after school, on Saturdays and during school holidays and can be recurring or one-off sessions. Topics covered in out of school sessions have included poetry, song writing, script writing, game design and zine making.

School Visits[ edit source]
Story writing workshops can also be hosted in schools. These are mostly the same programmes offered in in-house workshops, but Grimm & Co also offer tailored experiences to the school's requests.

Apothecary[ edit source]
Grimm & Co operate an 'apothecary' - a gift shop open to the general public selling a variety of 'magical items', including wands, stationery, bath products and homeware. The products are all themed as essentials for magical beings, from Goblin Mucus to Grandma’s Scabs, and include a list of magical ‘ingredients’ and side effects that the product may cause. The apothecary is the magical gateway to the charity's workshops, although the location of the secret door is a closely-guarded secret. Working with Jeremy Dyson and Side by Side design agency Grimm & Co have created the story of the 'apothecary to the magical' having been founded in 1148 by Graham Grimm and his sister Grizelda, offering quality goods and services such as potions, human disguises and wands to magical beings. Since Graham Grimm made his apothecary visible to humans in 2016 visitors can discover if they have any magical properties by standing on The Magic-O-Meter and explore the many interesting items on display in the Museum of Magical Artefacts, as well as learning the secrets of the apothecary and Grimm & Co's mission to produce stories to give energy to the magical beings who shop there. All proceeds from sales in the apothecary help to fund the workshops and clubs that aim to improve children's lives 'one story at a time'.