Stepping Into Stories is an ambitious, top quality festival, run by a small team of committed, energetic women (all wearing various creative hats!): 

 

• Mo O’Hara: children’s author, actor and storyteller: www.moohara.co.uk 

• Lucy Reynolds: children's author and book creator: www.lucyscribbles.co.uk 

• Margaret Bateson-Hill: children’s author and storyteller: www.margaretbateson-hill.co.uk 

• Hayley Byfield: Station Hall manager & director at www.skewbaldtheatre.org  

 

Founded in 2019, the festival grows from strength to strength each year, attracting thousands of participants annually and hosting leading lights from across the world of children’s books. 

 

Past participants have included: 

 

Joseph Coelho; Karen Owen; Margaret Bateson-Hill; Mo O'Hara; Breis; Jasmine Richards; Rashmi Sirdeshpande ; Ally Sherrick

Catherine Randall; SF Said; Candy Gourlay; Lucy Reynolds; Thiago De Moraes; Mo O'Hara ; Thiago De Moraes; Jeffrey Boakye

Sophie Hostick-Boakye; Cath Howe; Jane Elson; Alex Cotter; Tom Palmer; Stuart Lawrence; Nicholas Allan; Alice Hemming

Frann Preston-Gannon; Simon James Green ; Gareth P Jones; Ken Wilson-Max; Jodie Lancet-Grant; Bridget Marzo; Ross Welford

AM Dassu; Steve Antony; Jenna Herman; Frances Durkin; Alex Falase-Koya; Paul Lyalls; Louie Stowell; Jane Porter

Karin Littlewood; Patrice Lawrence; Sam Sedgman; Cerrie Burnell; Patrice Lawrence; Leif Bersweden; Alex Wheatle

Laura Henry-Allain MBE

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Inclusivity and diversity underpin all that we do. Our programme of speakers is broad, inspirational and inclusive; many of the schools and communities we work with come from some of London’s areas of highest deprivation; and we make sure cost is never a barrier to anybody taking part through an active programme of concessionary tickets and targeted free events. The festival is run by and for the community and is supported by an army of local volunteers and schools who roll up their sleeves together to make amazing things happen!   

 

“The organisation and volunteers were superb - I was proud to be a part of the festival" - Alex Wheatle MBE, Winner of the Guardian's Children's Fiction Award 

 

“Interactive, inspirational and accessible for all the children” - audience participant