Antonia Byatt steps down as c.e.o. of First Story after five years

Antonia Byatt has announced she is stepping down as c.e.o. of creative writing charity First Story after five years in the job. Byatt will be stepping down in the new year, after leading the education and creative writing charity as chief executive since June 2019.

During her time at First Story, she launched the Young Writers Programme in the North West of England (to complement its provision in London, the East Midlands and Yorkshire), developed new partnerships and initiatives, including a new Young Creatives programme as a follow on from the Young Writers Programme, and steered the company through the pandemic.

Byatt said: "Leading First Story has been incredibly rewarding over the past five and half years. Working alongside young writers across the country has been so exciting; I’ve loved hearing their unique voices and have been blown away by their writing skill. I have had the pleasure of working with a fantastic team—including the trustees and so many wonderful and committed freelance writers. I am proud to leave First Story in sound health, more than ready for its next chapter. For my own part I’m excited about all the new things I want to explore over the next period.”

Ed Baden-Powell, chair of trustees, said: "Antonia has been an inspirational c.e.o. for First Story. She has brought us unique insights from her wealth of experience at former organisations, along with a great personal verve. She has carefully nurtured our programme and events, expanding our impact on our writers, young and professional, enhancing our evaluation and inaugurating imaginative partnerships. Antonia has plotted an adroit course through some difficult challenges for us, notably the logistical challenges posed by Covid-19, but also in securing continued fantastic support from our funders, existing and new. We are hugely grateful for everything she has done for us. She leaves us on a high and will enable her successor to hit the ground running."