Paperchains.

Who we are

A.G. Smith (@ WordsWeeping) is the creator and co-founder of Paperchains. His work in prisons has been highlighted by C4’s Secret Millionaire and BBC Radio 4’s PM. A.G. Smith has written for Inside Time, The Big Issue and contributed to The Bookseller and The Financial Times.

David Kendall (@manwithbooks) is the co-founder of Paperchains. For the last twenty years he has worked on a wide variety of projects with prisoners and their families, young people in care, and rough sleepers. He is co-director and founder of Penned Up, a literature festival that is organised by and for prisoners. In 2020 Penned Up was recognised by The Big Issue as one of their Top 100 Changemakers.

“Paperchains is unfettered alchemy in dire times. And it has ignited a positivity in those it has already touched. Indeed a domino effect of artistic perfection, provoked by oblivion and truly in the benevolent spirit of Brooke, Sassoon and Owen.”

— Ian Thornton, Novelist & Producer (ian-thornton.com) 

“Something I have been thinking a lot about recently is who is missing? I’m proud that TCT is able to support Paperchains, as we recognise the need to give a voice to those who are silenced – now more than ever.”

— James Henderson – Senior Development Worker, Transforming Communities Together (tctogether.org.uk)

“We are delighted to support this creative initiative by Paperchains to highlight the impact that the COVID-19 lockdown has had on those who are isolated and whose voices are not often heard.

Thank you to Paperchains for kick-starting this project, we are proud to support this and we look forward to seeing some incredible work over the coming months.”

— Lisa Shattock, Director of Marketing & Communications, SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity (ssafa.org.uk)
Twitter: @SSAFA

“The greatest human connectors are words – but sometimes getting your words heard is almost impossible. The wonderful initiative that is Paperchains is a brilliant conduit for the words of those who rarely get heard and we at Inside Time are immensely proud and excited to be supporting
everything that Paperchains represents.”

— Erwin James, Inside Time, The Guardian
Twitter: @TheErwinJames / @InsideTimeUK

“Many voices without platforms go unheard. I’m proud to support Paperchains who are taking the steps to put this right.”

— Piers Linney, Entrepreneur & Investor  (pierslinney.com) 
Twitter: @pierslinney

“This is a vital project: when we come to sift the history of the pandemic, Paperchains will ensure that no voice was omitted, and that everyone had the chance to tell their story.”

— Stephen Kelman, author of Pigeon English
Twitter: @stephen_kelman

“Story Machine Productions believes that stories are for everyone: that every story is worth telling, and every story that is told can be accessible to all. We celebrate the heartbeats between the lines of stories, the opportunity to see the world through other eyes and experience it in other skins. 

We are thrilled to be supporting Paperchains, which seeks to platform and celebrate stories and experiences that are rarely heard. This is vital, world-changing work.”

— Sam Ruddock, Director, Story Machine Productions (storymachineproductions.co.uk)

“Paperchains is a fantastic project to get veterans focussed and for the pride they will have when their creative work is exhibited.”

— Lucy Graham - Manager North, Help for Heroes (helpforheroes.org.uk)
Twitter: @HelpforHeros

“We're proud to support this important initiative that is providing a voice for those that often go unheard. It's more important than ever to give people who are feeling isolated and marginalised a platform to tell their story, and to create a long lasting, diverse record of life during the pandemic.”

— David Austin, CEO, BBFC (bbfc.co.uk)

“Paperchains allows marginalised voices to be heard without censorship or correction. This is precisely the kind of platform needed to help heal a fractured society.”

— Russ Litten, Writer (russlitten.com) 
Twitter: @RussLitten

“Paperchains is a great way of hearing the voices of families we might not normally hear. It’s clear many people’s voices are marginalised in the UK. This is one way to help create a polyphony we can be proud of.”

— Tom Palmer, writer  (tompalmer.co.uk)
Twitter: @tompalmerauthor

“Scragends Agency is absolutely stoked to be associated with Paperchains.  2020 will certainly be a year that will go down in history and Paperchains will be a fantastic way of documenting experiences of voices that are usually left unheard.”

— Scragends Literary Agency

“Paperchains is a superb idea created by super people, all with the aim of benefiting society by providing an outlet for lesser-heard voices to get a word in (well, hundreds of words). Paperchains is a project designed to help people, I'm very proud to be associated with it.”

— Robert Endeacott, writer, collaborator (endeacott.com)