How Not To Flee A War (In Person)
2026-06-04 18:30 - 20:00 (Europe/London) | The Joinery, Dawsons Court, Market Place, Settle, North Yorkshire, BD24 9ED, United Kingdom
‘How NOT to Flee a War’ is a first-hand talk by Ukrainian journalist Maria Romanenko, co-presented with her partner Jez Myers, telling the story of their attempt to escape Kyiv as Russia launched its full-scale invasion on 24 February 2022.
What begins as a surreal morning of explosions and disbelief quickly becomes a frantic and uncertain decision: whether to stay, where to go, and how to leave a city rapidly emptying under threat. Built around their real journey out of Ukraine, the talk uses personal storytelling and images from the road to show what the first days of invasion felt like from the inside.
Rather than a polished narrative of survival, Maria and Jez describe the experience with blunt honesty and dark humour – the endless traffic, exhaustion, panic, misinformation, and the reality of borders under pressure. Through Maria’s perspective as a Ukrainian, and Jez’s as a British partner caught inside the unfolding disaster, the talk becomes both a gripping personal account and a wider reflection on displacement, resilience, and what it means to lose your home overnight.
Since launching in 2022, the tour has grown into a nationally recognised speaking series and a leading awareness-raising campaign across the UK and Europe. At its heart is the powerful talk, ‘How NOT To Flee a War’, which tells the gripping story of their escape from Kyiv to Manchester.
Their story has resonated around the world, with coverage from BBC, ITV, Sky News, CNN, and many more.
With upcoming talks scheduled at the Welsh, Scottish, and Danish Parliaments, alongside a headline slot at Lewes Speakers Festival, this is one not to miss.
Biographies
Maria Romanenko is a Ukrainian journalist and co-founder of All For Ukraine. Formerly Editor-in-Chief of Hromadske International, one of Ukraine’s best-known news organisations, she is the only Ukrainian recipient of the Prime Minister’s Points of Light Award. Since relocating to the UK, Maria has focused on supporting displaced Ukrainians and raising awareness through talks, including the widely delivered How NOT to Flee a War. She has conducted over 1,000 mainstream media interviews since arriving in the UK and is a regular commentator across national and international channels.
Jez Myers is a community champion and CEO of All For Ukraine. A recipient of Manchester City Council’s prestigious Pride of Manchester Award, he brings a dual background in business consultancy and civic engagement. After fleeing Ukraine with Maria, Jez has advised local and national bodies on supporting displaced Ukrainians, as well as assisting multiple Ukrainian charities. He is also Chairperson of the Spirit of Manchester Awards, the largest voluntary sector awards in the North West of England.

How To Find And Tell Your Story
2026-07-11 14:00 - 16:00 | https://settlestories.org.uk/whats-on-event/how-to-find-and-tell-your-story-2/
You have stories. Learn how to find one and tell it well.
A practical 2-hour workshop that turns lived moments into stories people listen to.
This workshop is for people who struggle to tell their own stories. If you go blank when asked to share an experience, talk in circles, or aren’t sure what makes a story worth telling – this is for you.
In this practical 2-hour online workshop, you’ll learn how to spot stories in your own life, shape them using a simple structure, and tell one story with confidence.
You’ll leave with one story shaped and told aloud, and tools you can reuse.

What You’ll Learn

How to recognise which moments contain real stories
A clear story structure that works every time
How to open a story and keep people listening
How to cut what isn’t needed
Practice telling your story out loud

This Workshop Is For You If

You freeze when someone asks you to tell a story
You need to use personal stories in work, interviews, or everyday life
You’re curious about storytelling but don’t know where to start
Teachers, therapists, managers, parents, job-seekers – anyone who needs to hold attention

What People Said About the February Workshop
“Unlocked something I’ve been blocked on for a very long time. Solid gold.”- Clare
“The content was well presented and explained and I felt relaxed enough to risk telling a very personal story and thoroughly enjoyed the experience and my listeners’ reactions.”- Umi
“Fun, engaging, productive, nourishing: definitely worth getting up at 6am for.”- Delta, USA
Practical Details
Date: Saturday 11th July 2026, 2-4pm GMT
Format: Online (Zoom)
Price: £16.50 / £12.50 Early Bird until 28th May
Experience needed: None.

StoryLab: Craft Your Story In Six Weeks (September '26 Intake)
2026-09-02 19:00 - 20:30 | https://settlestories.org.uk/whats-on-event/storylab-craft-your-story-in-six-weeks-september-intake/
Most people struggle with storytelling for the same reason.
Nobody taught them the mechanics, so their stories drift. They over-explain. They start too early, end too late, and miss the moment that actually matters. People nod politely. Nothing lands.
That’s not a talent problem. It’s a craft problem. StoryLab exists to fix that. This is practice-based. Not theory.
Six weeks. Same people. Same Zoom room. One story, built properly from Week 1 to Week 6. No inspirational fluff. No “just be authentic” nonsense. You’ll craft your story both ways: written (~1,500 words) and told aloud (5-7 minutes). Same story. Two forms. Real craft.
The six weeks:

Week 1 (2nd Sept): Why this story and why now. Opening with impact.
Week 2 (9th Sept): What’s actually at risk for your character and your listener.
Week 3 (16th Sept): Structure that holds. A flexible framework you’ll use on every story after this.
Week 4 (23rd Sept): Scene. How to make pictures in the listener’s mind.
Week 5 (30th Sept): Character, voice and conflict, including your own.
Week 6 (7th Oct): Edit. Cut what you love so the story can live.

By Week 6 you’ll have:

One complete story – written (~1,500 words) and told aloud (5–7 minutes without notes)
Six professional techniques you can apply to any story from here
Your Story Bank framework for building the next one without starting from scratch

This only works if you show up
You’ll write between sessions. Practice aloud in small groups. Give and receive feedback
Teaching is recorded and available for 7 days, but this is not a “watch it later” experience. If you want passive content, there are cheaper options. If you want skill, this requires participation.
Who this is for
StoryLab is for people who know they have a story worth telling, and haven’t told it yet.
You might be navigating a professional transition and need to articulate what you’ve learned. You might be carrying a family story that’s in danger of disappearing. You might use story in your work – teaching, leading, fundraising – and want to do it with more craft and less guesswork.
What you all have in common: one moment from your life that still has heat in it. That’s enough to start.
You don’t need a story chosen in advance. That’s what Week 1 is for.
What you get:

6 × 90-minute live sessions (3 weeks + integration break + 3 weeks)
Small, consistent cohort – maximum 12 people
Direct teaching and guided practice in breakout groups
One complete story in two forms: written and told aloud
Six techniques you’ll reuse for the rest of your life
Teaching recordings available for 7 days
Story Bank method for ongoing work

This is about skill, not certificates or gold stars but you’ll get them too!
A note from Sita:
I’m Sita Brand, founder of Settle Stories, an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation. I’ve spent four decades telling stories in prisons, on stages, in funding rooms, and in the moments that actually matter. I trained with Dr Clarissa Pinkola Estés and was ordained by Thich Nhat Hanh.
What I know for certain: storytelling isn’t magic. It’s method. The same techniques work whether you’re writing for the page or speaking aloud, whether you’re crafting a memoir piece, pitching an idea, or telling the truth about your life.
StoryLab isn’t about becoming “a storyteller.” It’s about learning how story works, so you can use it deliberately, ethically, and well.
Six weeks. One story. Written and told. This is real craft.
Dates and investment
When: Wednesdays 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th September and 7th ​October
Time: 7:00–8:30pm BST, live on Zoom
Size: Maximum 12
Early bird (by 31st May 2026) : £217
Advance (by 31st July 2026): £247
Standard: £297 (Payment plans available.)
Questions welcome. But fair warning: this is for people ready to practice, not just think about it.
Not sure yet? There’s a 2-hour Finding Your Story workshop. This we call Session Zero. Try the framework and experience the teaching.
Next Sessions: 7th April 2-4pm, and 11th July 2-4pm (bookings opening soon).
