A Bollywood Film Crew, a Book, and Stories That Cross Borders
Dec 07, 2025Yesterday I was walking through Cheltenham when I spotted something unexpected: a full Bollywood film crew, cameras, lights, the works.
I had two choices. Keep walking or stop and introduce myself. I chose the second.
I handed them three things. Gabriel's books: The Adventures of Gabriel series, born from Friday night FaceTime calls between a British-Pakistani boy and his mother during two years of family separation, now an international bestseller underpinning a methodology that has served 465 children across nine schools. A handwritten postcard with our websites and a single line: "Children across the UK are becoming published authors. Worth seeing what they're creating?" And press releases heading out across South Asia over the next six weeks, covering children from Bradford, Gloucester, Pakistan, and India becoming published authors through StoryQuest.
The film crew is here shooting a story that crosses borders. Through StoryQuest, we are living that story daily. When children are given complete creative freedom, no templates, no prescribed outcomes, just the question "what story do you want to tell?", something emerges that no corporate diversity programme can manufacture. Cultural bridges built through children's authentic voices.
I did not plan to meet a film crew yesterday. I just knew that when opportunity shows up, you say yes, take action, and see what happens. Some of these children dream of seeing their stories on screen one day. Who knows what that postcard might lead to.
Every child's voice deserves to be heard. Sometimes the most important thing is simply choosing to stop and introduce yourself.