Quarry tale wins story-writing competition

Congratulations to Emily Stevenson, winner of our 500-words story-writing competition, run in conjunction with children’s literacy charity Chapter One.

Ewan’s Quarry Adventure, is being launched today – World Book Day – and tells the story of a little boy’s visit to the quarry where his mother works.

The book, which has been professionally edited and illustrated, touches on a number of important areas such as health and safety, diversity and inclusion, teamwork, recycling and biodiversity.

The competition, organised by Social Value and FAIR Co-ordinator Jops Hill, was open to all employees and received entries from across the business.

SHE Business Partner Emily wrote her tale for her son, Ewan, inspired by the bedtime stories she reads to him every night.

“I hope the book will spark curiosity and a love for learning in children,” said Emily, who also works closely with STEM initiatives to promote the industry and its values and encourage young people to consider a career in the sector.

“It has been a bit of a labour of love and I hope it will become a cherished part of bedtime routines for many families, as it has in ours.”

Emily’s book is now part of Chapter One’s online library, which can be accessed by all schools who are supported by the charity.

Chapter One is dedicated to ensuring every child develops the literacy skills to succeed. We have been involved with the programme since 2022, and now have more than 60 volunteers who provide one-to-one reading support, 30-minutes a week, for children aged 5-7 who need it most. These sessions help to build fluency, comprehension, phonics and foster reading confidence and enjoyment.

Our involvement with Chapter One is part of our commitment to support charities and local initiatives to increase our social value and employee wellbeing.