RIDING FOR THE MINISTRY OF STORIES

July 12, 2021

What if I told you there was a shop in Hoxton that has been supplying basic neccesaties to Monsters since 1818! You know things like toasted bone chunks, sugar dusted bogies and even a mummy's sewing kit. A must if your rags are in tatters!

Whoah nuts right?

Well it gets better. Through a secret door in the shop there is the HQ for a place called The Ministry of Stories. Sounds official, one might say an Orwellian off shoot ...but hear me out. Imagine a place where as a kid you are free to let your imagination run wild. A place to nuture that creative ball of energy that you have burning within yourself but perhaps don't know what to do with it.

The Ministry is that very environment where kids put pen to paper and bring what they have in their inventive minds to life. Instilling them with a sense confidence and helping them realise that life is full of unlimited possibilities. With the guidance of volunteer mentors and programme leaders they have become authors, seen their poems written on the street for all to see, heard their stories read out on a podcast and even had their words turned into a play!

"And all they have to do is push through that bookcase in a store in Hoxton?"

Well that's right, although slight disclosure they do also run programs at schools in the vincinity of the Ministry but I digress, check out this video to get more of an idea of what is going down at the Ministry.

As a volunteer, I am fortunate enough to watch the kids read out their work with such pride. Sometimes so excited they can’t wait, their hands furiously waving for their chance to tell their story. A place that I wished I could have gone to when I was a small scruff of hair with big ideas.
But all of this could not be possible without donations and this charity is always in need of a helping hand. My plan is get on my bike and ride my way to the end of this isle until the great watery beyond is between me and the horizon.

The nitty gritty….

I will be riding from Land's End to John O' Groats. By the looks of the route I’ve planned it will be 980 miles of leg burning fury. I will be spending five days in the saddle and will hit on average 200 miles a day. Some days more, some days less. If I have time I will raise my head up and check out the beautiful scenery but most days I will be shaking my head and fighting off the inner demons telling me to stop. Please be there to encourage my efforts and keep the monsters at bay by donating to this most excellent cause.

Cheers,
Greg Nay

When: The 4th of October 2021

Target: £5,000 (yep that’s a chunk of cheddar but c’mon let’s do this!)

To donate go here and thank you so much:
https://ministryofstories.enthuse.com/pf/greg-nay

To learn more about the Ministry of Stories:
https://ministryofstories.org