Award winning comedian Sophie Willan- who is the new resident comic on the ‘Up Late With Rylan’ show for Channel 5 every Wednesday at 11pm – is turning her hand to a charitable programme that is very close to her heart in the Greater Manchester area.
In response to her own experiences growing up within the care system, Sophie has raised a huge amount of funding to create a dynamic Children’s book project for Care Leavers and Children In Care for her project.Putting Care Leavers in the driving seat, Sophie will facilitate a 10-week writing programme and a 10-week illustration programme for 20 participants across Greater Manchester.
Based on their own experiences in and out of the Care system, participants will create a short story or series of illustrations with fictional characters to be part of this vibrant new children’s anthology. Sophie and her participants will work with a published children’s author and an acclaimed illustrator to develop the anthology before publication.
Throughout her adolescence Sophie has been supported by the care system, spending time with temporary foster parents, receiving long-term foster care from her grandmother and finally being placed in supported lodgings in her teens. Still only in her 20’s, and in response to these experiences, Sophie has built a reputation as a highly regarded socially engaged artist, producer and advocate for young people. She has worked for organisations such as Apples & Snakes, Barnardos, Bolton At Home, Bolton Council, Contact Theatre, Lemn Sissay’s Christmas Dinner, Manchester Children’s Society, The Library Theatre, The Salvation Army and Swiss Foster Care.
“It’s so important to me that Care Leavers get offered the kind of professional development and investment that other children receive. This project is about crediting Care Leavers for their work, enriching their skills base and giving them the opportunity to inspire other young people. I can’t wait to get started!” says Sophie.
This will culminate in a published anthology of short stories for 7-11 year olds that will be launched at the 2017 Manchester Children’s Book Festival.
