Manuscripts and illustrations, particularly the words and pictures for children's books, haven't often found themselves in galleries, framed and submitted to the public gaze. But Seven Stories has changed all that. Seven Stories provides the only exhibition space in the UK wholly dedicated to the work of children's writers and illustrators. Recognised as a new national home for children's literature, it brings together original manuscripts and artwork from some of the nation's best loved children's books and involves children, young people and their families, carers and educators in a unique exploration of creativity, literature and art. The centre is full of writers, artists, storytellers and fascinating characters, real or imaginary - a place where visitors can get involved in a wide variety of creative activities or just curl up with a book. Becoming a writer, artist, explorer, designer, storyteller, reader or collector is possible at Seven Stories, or being involved in dressing up and dramatic fun, creative writing and wordplay, drawing and illustration, storytelling and crafts. Seven Stories is a monument to the fact that dreams can be achieved through voluntary activity, and 11 years ago the centre was only a germ of an idea. It was the vision of two women, Mary Briggs and Elizabeth Hammill, to create a centre to celebrate the work of British authors and illustrators which would have otherwise been lost overseas. Executive consultant, Mary Briggs, and collection consultant, Elizabeth Hammill, had the vision and determination to establish a centre dedicated to children's literature and saw their dream come true with the opening of Seven Stories in August 2005. Mary said: "Elizabeth and I invested a lot of time into the success of Seven Stories, with of course the help of a committed team of volunteers. We also owe a great deal of gratitude to Nigel Wright who helped us to select and recruit the majority of our senior management team, and more recently our new chief executive. "As a charity and with a lack of expertise in certain areas it's been invaluable to us to have such a positive relationship with Nigel Wright. With their skills and expertise they have helped us to recruit the right people for key roles in the organisation. They're a highly professional company and we're very grateful for their services. Seven Stories would not be what it is today without a committed, driven team to deliver our comprehensive programme." Paul Newton, managing consultant in the finance division at Nigel Wright, said: "For organisations such as Seven Stories it is essential that finances are controlled and managed to an exceptionally high standard. We were pleased to support the development of Seven Stories by providing our services at no charge as we recognise the positive impact that Seven Stories has had to the area. Importantly we were able to identity individuals who had the right cultural fit and genuinely had an interest in the success of the organisation." Since opening in August 2005 the multi-award winning centre has attracted more than 120,000 visitors from the UK and beyond and has involved a further 200,000 in its participation programme and touring exhibitions. Based in an imaginatively converted warehouse, tucked under Byker Bridge in Newcastle's Ouseburn Valley, the centre has won numerous awards for architecture, regeneration and tourism. The exhibitions created by Seven Stories invite visitors to step into the pages of a book and engage in a lively conversation about story making. The two exhibitions currently on display at Seven Stories are We're Going on a Bear Hunt - Picturebook Adventures, designed in collaboration with Walker Books, taking visitors on a delightful picture book journey filled with sights, sounds and surprises, and Westall's Kingdom - A Writer's Life, celebrating the life of Tyneside born author Robert Westall (1929-1993). For further information on Seven Stories, the Centre for Children's Books visit www.sevenstories.org.uk Tel: 08452 710 777 Email: info@sevenstories.org.uk | 
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