Dear supporters,
In this publication week, I wish to share my sincere gratitude for helping to bring Free Loaves on Fridays into existence. By now, many of you will have received a copy of the book; flashes of its blue and ember cover have been circulating online, a sign that this is no longer a figment of our collective imagination as one hundred authors, but a reality.
For far too long, children and adults with lived experience of the care system have been the subject, but rarely the author, of words in case notes, assessments, and court reports. We have been written about, but crucially without (a feeling I know all too well, as outlined in my ‘Open Letter to the Social Worker who Wrote my Case Notes’). Free Loaves marks the beginning of the end of an era in which our lives are documented for us, which feels poignant, given it is Care Experienced History Month.
Speaking of making history, this is the first known mainstream anthology with a ‘no rejection policy’. Those three words take up such little space but mean so very much. Taking this approach meant that each and every single one of our submissions was given the space it deserved. The publishing world has a tendency to be selective, to privilege privileged voices – a natural barrier for care-experienced people, who are often excluded from, or prevented from pursuing, education. It means that Free Loaves is a rich tapestry of stories, letters and poems that are raw, authentic and from the heart. The people we are least likely to hear from are exactly those who ought to be heard.
As the editor of this work, I speak from a place of bias. But I mean it wholeheartedly when I say that this is the book I, as a young person navigating the care system, so desperately wish my social workers, teachers, and classmates had read. Back then, I did not have the language to articulate why I wasn’t able to ‘engage’ with services on demand. Fortunately, the authors in this book (aged 13–68) do. It has been the privilege of a lifetime to be entrusted with their words, and I am eternally grateful for the selflessness and generosity of each person who gave of themselves to leave the care system in a better place than they found it.
Whilst the book is now complete, this is by no means the end of the story. In fact, part two – how you as readers respond – is yet to be written. The two tangible things you can do to help are to:
1. Write a review on Amazon, Instagram or the online platform of your choice – the more of these we receive, the greater the visibility of the book.
2. Spread the word far and wide amongst your loved ones, colleagues, and even your local library.
If you are seeking more long-term inspiration, turn to our ‘Open Letters’ section at the back of the book, addressed to the public, professionals, parliament and press. These letters serve as a reminder that Free Loaves is not just for consumption (pun absolutely intended), but serves as a call to action.
You are warmly invited to be part of the following chapters. There is so much hope and promise in the blank pages which follow, and to which you hold the pen.
Yours,
Bekah