500 Words Black Lives Matter

A collection of 100 inspiring, moving and poignant short stories, submitted to the 500 Words: Black Lives Matter competition which ran on Virgin Radio in July 2020. 500 Words: Black Lives Matter features a foreword from Chris Evans, analysis of the writing from Oxford University Press and writing tips from judges Malorie Blackman, Charlie Higson, Francesca Simon and Frank Cottrell-Boyce. 

Originally devised by Chris Evans, 500 Words has a rich 10-year heritage, giving children of all ethnicities and backgrounds a platform to express their imaginations and creativity through storytelling. In the decade it has been active 500 Words has involved 54% of primary and secondary schools in the UK and received 1.1 million entries. This year almost 6,000 children, aged between 5-13, submitted stories expressing their personal experiences, tales of empathy, learning and respect, building on the international conversation around Black Lives Matter.