500 Words

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.

The illustrious judging panel, chaired by Angellica Bell and Michael Underwood, reviewed thousands of submissions from which they have shortlisted eight finalists and selected a further 92 stories to be included in this important and timely collection.

"What follows is an amazing and profound collection of some of our favourites. Be prepared to laugh, sigh and cry." - Chris Evans

"Being part of 500 Words: Black Lives Matter was incredibly important to allow our younger generation an outlet for them to vocalise their thoughts and stories on this global issue of racism using the power of words." - Angellica Bell