OUAB CIC is the natural evolution of Once Upon a Bus ® who operate in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, West London and surrounding areas, providing immersive storytelling sessions that align with the National Curriculum.

Age-inclusive interactive sessions incorporate audio/visual projections, props, costumed characters and live narration to inspire and foster literacy and communication skills for children aged 0-12 and their parents/carers/educators. Current activities include school workshops, pop-up community events like Maidenhead's Big Read and Barnes Film Festival, as well as themed sessions for local celebrations and festivals. Primarily, the project has served diverse schools across and beyond the borough, such as Manor Green School, Waltham St Lawrence Primary School, Claires Court, St George's School, and Eagle House, as well as groups like the East Berkshire Down's Syndrome Support Group and The Thames Hospice.

The expansion outlined below* builds on this solid foundation, responding to a growing demand for accessible, human-centric education and learning, at a time dominated by social media, where device addiction is proving a real challenge for schools and literacy skills are in sharp decline. It emphasises real-world edutainment (blending education with entertaining experiences) to improve engagement and learning outcomes across the board. We are seeking funding from grants, philanthropists, and corporate partners that will enable the provision of free services, with any surpluses reinvested into expansion, such as adapted vehicles/customised environments and new modular experiences, rather than distributed for private gain.

For the purposes of this illustration we have focussed on Amazon as our key partner, in order to illustrate how the vision can be realised for the benefit of all parties concerned.  Close proximity to Bray Film Studios, acquired by Amazon in 2024 and currently proposing an extensive redevelopment, presents the ideal opportunity for partnership; one that would allows a partner to support much needed local education initiatives that also align with its origins in books/literacy and current creative/storytelling/media production.

Interested parties are invited to collaborate:

Contact arti@sharmagrey.com or call direct on +44 (0)7912 101 619

* Our detailed plans are available on request

BACKGROUND

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead faces notable challenges in literacy and motivation to learn among young students, families, and communities, with data indicating persistent declines exacerbated by post-pandemic effects.

For instance, in 2023/24, only 60% of Key Stage 2 pupils achieved the expected standard in combined reading, writing, and maths, down from the previous year and below pre-2019 levels. Disadvantaged pupils fare worse, with just 30% meeting standards, creating a 36-percentage-point gap compared to non-disadvantaged peers, wider than the national average of 22%.

Writing attainment has specifically declined locally, while national figures rose slightly. Broader community trends reflect reduced motivation, with persistent school absences in primary settings increasing and reading enjoyment among UK children consistently dropping, since 2005.

Family engagement is similarly affected, as lower socioeconomic groups show diminished cognitive stimulation and motivation to read and learn, linked to factors like deprivation and social in-cohesion impacting up to 20% of RBWM families in high-need areas. These issues risk long-term educational inequities, reduced community cohesion, and economic strain on local families and institutions. (1)

1. Figures are drawn from RBWM's Standards and Quality of Education Report (2024/25), Education Data Pack (2023/24), and Children and Young People's Plan (2023), alongside national benchmarks from the Department for Education and National Literacy Trust.

VISION

Based in Bray-on-Thames, on the fringe of the iconic Film Studios, Once Upon a Bus, a mobile education initiative delivering interactive storytelling via a customised double-decker bus, is well positioned to address these challenges through proven, targeted and (eventually) accessible interventions. By blending education with entertainment, our innovative programs foster literacy skills, boost engagement, and build family involvement in both well-resourced and underserved areas

With corporate sponsorship from entities such as, for example: Shanly Homes, Summerleaze, IHG, and/or Amazon   [owners of Bray Film Studios], the initiative can scale to provide free services, ensuring broad reach without financial barriers for those most in need. For example, partnering could leverage Amazon's plentiful resources to offset local impacts from studio operations, while aligning with their book-selling origins and media expertise, to secure community goodwill and ongoing support as they expand their commercial estate - whilst also addressing a larger societal challenge.

STRATEGIES

Funding from a significant sponsor will enable a multi-faceted approach, starting with needs-based assessments to prioritise disadvantaged schools and communities. Core elements include:

• Mobile Interventions for Literacy Boost
  Deploy bespoke accessible vehicles equipped with audio-visual tools for on-site sessions, offering 200+ free workshops annually. These immersive storytelling experiences will target early literacy gaps by engaging children aged 0-12 in curriculum-aligned narratives that improve phonics and reading proficiency.

• Resource Development and Distribution
  Create and freely provide inspiring learning materials, including digital "project kits" and adaptive tools for special educational needs, to schools. This addresses literacy/writing declines and motivation drops, (where daily reading has halved nationally since 2005), by encouraging family use at home. Back to basics!

• Educator and Family Training
  Deliver no-cost workshops and training to educators and parent/carers in storytelling, scriptwriting, and media production (as appropriate). This builds capacity to sustain motivation, tackling family influences like parental education levels that correlate with children's language engagement. Community outreach events in public spaces could reach 2,000 residents annually, fostering intergenerational learning to mitigate absence-driven disengagement.

• Media and Mentoring Expansion
  Partnering with Amazon, for example, to co-develop educational media, such as videos, podcasts and channels, drawing on Bray Studios' infrastructure. This extends reach online, addressing broader UK trends of declining reading for pleasure (under 25% in 2024), while establishing mentoring networks for 200+ educators to support long-term skill-building.

BENEFITS

This collaboration yields mutual gains. For RBWM schools and communities, it narrows attainment gaps, enhances motivation, and promotes equity, with measurable outcomes like improved literacy metrics and reduced absences. Families benefit from accessible, engaging resources that strengthen home-school ties, reducing risks in one-parent or deprived households.

For OUAB, sponsorship secures funding over multiple years, enabling operational scaling, revenue from paid services elsewhere, and a sustainable model eventually reaching tens of thousands learners annually.

Sponsors gain by mitigating community disruptions, commercial activities, noise/light pollution,  traffic or employment shifts etc., while reinforcing their brand through pro-active community literacy initiatives; boosting local support for their ambitions via co-branded events and high profile ongoing PR.

Ultimately, this partnership transforms local edu/social challenges into opportunities for growth, creating a sustained and resilient, educated community. By investing in learning, all parties contribute to a shared legacy of local human empowerment. In short,  we would love to talk to you, share our story so far, our vision for the future, and our commitment to making our community a better place.

Interested parties are invited to collaborate:

Contact arti@sharmagrey.com or call direct on +44 (0)7912 101 619

~ Ad interim ~

OUAB Community Interest Company will deliver a range of free or subsidised services focused on educational storytelling and community enrichment. These activities prioritise accessibility for disadvantaged groups in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead and surrounding areas, aligning with the CIC's community interest objectives. All mobile workshops will initially utilise Once Upon a Bus' original customised double-decker bus equipped for immersive, interactive sessions, with adaptations and new vehicles/environments/experiences planned to meet future accessibility needs.

Free Mobile Storytelling Workshops for State Schools

OUAB CIC will provide complimentary storytelling workshops to state-funded schools within the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, with priority given to those serving higher proportions of pupils eligible for pupil premium funding, those with diverse cultural or linguistic backgrounds, and schools identified as requiring improvement or support (based on Ofsted reports, attainment data, or local authority assessments). Workshops will be tailored to National Curriculum themes, using "The Whale, The Star, and The Campfire" model to engage children aged 0-12 in literacy, environmental awareness, scientific inquiry, and social-emotional learning. Sessions will last 20–45 minutes per group, accommodating entire year cohorts or forms, and include sensory elements, participatory reading, and curriculum-aligned activities to boost engagement and outcomes for underserved learners.

Free Mobile Storytelling Workshops for Charitable Events

The company will offer free storytelling sessions to charitable events organised to raise funds for community benefit or registered charities. These sessions will support fundraising efforts while promoting literacy and creativity among attendees. Past examples include collaborations with Thames Hospice (a specialist palliative care provider), and Berkshire Down Syndrome Support Group, where storytelling has enhanced event atmospheres and community involvement. Workshops will be customised to suit event themes, audience ages, and fundraising goals, ensuring alignment with charitable objectives.

Free Mobile Storytelling Workshops for Disability and Special Needs

OUAB CIC will deliver no-cost storytelling workshops to special educational needs (SEN) schools, disability support groups, and related events. These sessions aim to enrich daily school life, support therapeutic or developmental goals, and assist in fundraising for the organizations. Scripts and delivery methods will be adapted to meet identified needs, such as sensory considerations, simplified language, or inclusive participation techniques. Future funding will enable the acquisition and modification of an accessible vehicle to ensure equal access for all participants, building on existing engagements with organisations such as Manor Green School, TVAP (Thames Valley Adventure Playground), and Mohawk Camp.

Free Community Events and Outreach

The company will organise and support free community storytelling initiatives in RBWM, scheduled on a weekly or regular basis at fixed times and public locations (e.g., parks, libraries, or community centres). These pop-up events will provide open-access sessions to families and residents, fostering intergenerational learning and social connection. Additionally, OUAB CIC will contribute storytelling support to charitable community events, including established initiatives such as Maidenhead’s Big Read (an annual reading and literacy festival), Thames Hospice fundraisers, Parallel Windsor activities, and Alexander Devine events. This outreach will extend the educational benefits of storytelling beyond schools, targeting broader community participation - especially in areas with lower engagement or attainment.

Teacher Training Programs

OUAB CIC will deliver free or low-cost professional development workshops for teachers in RBWM schools (with priority for those in high-need settings). Training will focus on adopting storytelling techniques to engage learners across different year groups and abilities. Educators will learn practical methods from "The Whale, The Star, and The Campfire" model, including story adaptation for curriculum integration, vocal projection and confidence-building exercises, and strategies for transforming classroom environments to enhance interaction and retention. Sessions will be conducted without the bus where required, enabling schools to sustain learnt practices independently and extend impact to daily teaching.

These service deliveries form the operational core of OUAB CIC, ensuring that resources are directed toward measurable community benefits such as improved learning engagement and literacy, reduced educational inequalities, and stronger social cohesion; Of course, all activities will be monitored through participant feedback, attendance data, and outcome metrics to demonstrate ongoing alignment with the CIC's community interest statement.

Interested parties are invited to collaborate:

Contact arti@sharmagrey.com or call direct on +44 (0)7912 101 619

It is a given, that storytelling is one of humanity’s oldest and most effective forms of education. Long before books, screens, or formal schooling, stories were the primary way knowledge, values, and wisdom were passed from one generation to the next: "Around the campfire".

Traditional storytelling remains remarkably powerful today. It engages children on multiple levels;  intellectually, emotionally, and socially. When a story is told live, with voice, expression, and interaction, it activates imagination, builds listening skills, and deepens emotional intelligence in ways that digital media cannot.

The benefits are manifold:

• Improve language development and literacy

• Enhance memory, concentration, and comprehension

• Foster empathy and emotional understanding

• Strengthen community and family bonds

• Make learning enjoyable and memorable

At Once Upon a Bus ® we have witnessed these positive outcomes for well over a decade. Children who might disengage (for a myriad of reasons) from conventional lessons, often light up aboard our bus. They listen more intently, participate more willingly, and retain more of what they hear. This is the foundation upon which OUAB CIC is built, driving the proven power of story to create more engaged, literate, and connected children and communities across the RBWM and beyond.

RBWM Since 2014

Once Upon a Bus is a self-contained mobile project designed to provide an engaging space in which to learn about and explore the many facets of language and communication, through traditional storytelling. The vehicle has been designed and refitted to the highest specifications to provide distinct, exciting spaces  to promote both the desire and the ability to learn. State-of-the-art audio technology and visual projections provide an immersive experience that entertains, captivates and inspires our audiences without compromising the real-world, face-to-face environment and traditional storytelling values that underpin the project's vision.

Arti Sharma-Grey and Matt Grey are the founders of Once Upon a Bus (and as of 2026, the OUAB CIC) - both are driven by a shared commitment to the transformative power of storytelling.

"The transformation of the bus is amazing. For 20 years I tried to become a writer with a lot of disappointing stops and starts. So it's gratifying to think that photos of mine may have a positive, if subliminal, effect on a future generation of storytellers. Who knows? One day, in a roundabout way, thanks to your efforts, both of us might have some small effect on English literature and cinema. Best wishes for the continual success of your project."

Ken Schulze
Photographer, Chicago (2014)

"Nice time declaring the Once Upon a Bus vehicle open. What a good idea!"

Paul Daniels
Magician and television presenter
We will always be grateful for Paul Daniels and Debbie McGee's kindness, enthusiasm and generosity in helping to launch our community project in 2014. Simple performance magic is still an important part of our edutainment model, and wherever it features, it is dedicated to him x

"Once Upon a Bus is a delightful local initiative that genuinely lives up to its promise. Arti and the team have spent more than a decade bringing storytelling to life for children across Maidenhead and the wider Royal Borough, using a creative blend of live narration, costume, props and projection that captures young imaginations in a way few classroom settings can match. Their work with schools and community groups across our area, from mainstream primaries to specialist settings supporting children with additional needs, demonstrates a real commitment to inclusion and educational equity. At a time when screens dominate so much of children's lives, the case for human centred, analogue storytelling has never been stronger. I wish OUAB CIC every success as it scales its free provision to the schools and families who will benefit most."

Joshua Reynolds MP
Member of Parliament for Maidenhead Constituency

"As Deputy Mayor, I was delighted to attend the Maidenhead Big Read at Maidenhead Library this March, where Once Upon a Bus delivered a truly memorable experience for everyone involved. Arti and Matt have a unique talent for transforming reading into an immersive adventure, sparking imagination and fostering a genuine love of stories. Their energy, creativity, and warmth make them a joy to watch and an invaluable asset to community events... I have also had the pleasure of seeing them recently at another event in Windsor, where they performed their lively and entertaining version of Alice in Wonderland. It was, once again, a fantastic experience filled with humour, charm, and audience engagement. I wholeheartedly commend Arti and Matt for their outstanding work and the positive impact they continue to have on our community."

Councillor Siân Martin
The Mayor of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead

"Once Upon a Bus is something special. Having worked with various storytellers / communicators / workshop providers over the past 15 years, I can honestly say that OUAB are the only one that properly understand how to engage with people of all ages, bringing together creativity, humour and rigour to excellent effect. Crucially, Arti and Matt fully remember what it is to be a child, helping anyone who enters their bus to have fun, enjoy learning and embrace silliness. Children and adults alike enter the bus not entirely sure what to expect, and leave not necessarily realising that they have learned something. I have learned a lot from working with them, adopting new approaches and bringing more creativity into my own practice."

Dr Russell Arnott PGCE
Director www.incredibleoceans.org

"Once Upon a Bus is a unique, fun-filled educational experience for children right across the primary age range. As Teacher and now Headteacher of Waltham St. Lawrence Primary School, I have seen the positive impact that the sessions can have both on an individual class basis and across the school as a whole. Once Upon a Bus sessions are interactive, engaging and most of all fun, allowing the children time to explore learning in a setting which feels very different from the structured classroom. The children emerge from the sessions feeling like they have been in a different world and the Once Upon a Bus experience is one that stays with them throughout their primary education. At Waltham St. Lawrence Primary School we love Once Upon a Bus... It’s the way learning should be!"

David Errington
Headteacher
Waltham St Lawrence Primary School

"Once Upon a Bus came to be part of the prestigious Children's Literature Festival at Eagle House School. The magic and creativity of Arti and Matthew could not be faulted as they narrated and shared stories with children over the two days. Boys and girls entering the bus are taken to a new world and the brilliance is that the bus evolves into whatever theme has been planned. From the moment they assemble outside to watch the magical Bubble Man, the children are entranced. Arti's characters are played out brilliantly and she leads them on a journey through the bus, reading and sharing and fully immersing children into the world of storytelling. We could not have been more delighted with the response from the children after their adventures on Once Upon a Bus. They have not stopped talking about their experience and there is no doubt that the bus helped make our Festival a huge success. If your children love stories they will adore the bus and I would urge you to let it park up at your school and create its magic."

Matthew Edwards
Head of English
Eagle House School, Sandhurst

"We have worked with Once Upon a Bus for many years now. They are a wonderfully imaginative team. I have always found both Arti and Matt extremely dedicated and they genuinely create new worlds for the young and old. Their sessions encourage creativity, confidence and a love of reading, while also being inclusive and accessible to a wide range of audiences. They have a unique take and are tremendously committed to every detail of the experience.  Once Upon a Bus makes a meaningful contribution to literacy, community engagement and educational enrichment in the Royal Borough and beyond. We are very happy to recommend them for CIC status."

Peter Kidd
Director
Weir Bank Group and Estate, Bray-on-Thames

"We are delighted to have the ongoing support of the beautiful Once Upon a Bus for the Maidenhead's Big Read festival. In March, we held our 8th annual event, and once again Once Upon a Bus has played a significant part in supporting our local schools and community and encouraging children and families to read together and to love reading. Arti, Matt and their team (including their lovely children), in costume and with great panache, narrate and perform magical stories in line with the festivals' theme over the two day event every year. All are drawn into an immersive storytelling world - many leaving the experience with a new enthusiasm for the magic of books and reading."

Stephan Stephan
Twice president of Maidenhead Thames Rotary Club
Chair of Maidenhead Community Book Festival CIC

!قد يؤثر المكان المميز على تجربة ما، وقد تؤثر التجربة المميزة على مكان ما
وفي هذه التجربة المختلفة المستوحاة من شركة Once Upon a Bus، نقدم في إثراء تجربة حكايات على عجلات والتي ستأخذنا داخل أجواء مُلهِمة لسرد القصص في الحافلة حيث البيئة الساحرة والعالم المليء بالحكايات والخيال. 

وسنعيد إنشاء هذه التجربة الرائعة ونصممها مع بيئة رائعة لسرد القصص داخل الحافلة وخارجها، لنقضي وقتًا ممتعًا مليئا برواية القصة والقراءة والاستكشاف لنطلِق آفاق إبداعنا. وسنعيش الأجواء الرائعة حيث المحتوى المبتكر والأنشطة التفاعلية وفرصة قضاء وقت معًا مفعم بالبهجة والسرور وطرق المعرفة الجديدة والتعلُم الإبداعي.

 شاركنا في هذه التجارب الفريدة للتعرف على كيفية إشراك الأطفال من خلال بيئات التعلُم المختلفة وغير الرسمية، 

Ithra by Aramco Stories on Wheels (2024)
The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, Saudi Arabia

"As a Senior Sales Leader in the Public Sector software space I have had the pleasure of working with both Arti and Matt. Working with Arti over a number of years in visioning solutions to customers and bringing to life the sales story for how software can transform their organisations and with Matt in designing, visioning, branding and Go to Market of a brand new software platform which went on to dominate its market. Both have the creative skill and business acumen that has led to Once Upon a Bus becoming the huge success that it has."

Mark Holdsworth
Sales Director, [Global IT Company]

"Once Upon a Bus provides such a fantastic and unique experience not only for children, but for the whole family to enjoy. These immersive storytelling sessions bring characters and stories to life in an interactive and educational way. As someone who is very much part of the Maidenhead community, I really enjoy seeing the Once Upon a Bus at local events. I am also a parent and I have enjoyed the experience with my daughter, and as a child with possible SEN and a short attention span, she has been kept engaged with these brilliant story times. The whole experience of getting on a double decker bus (which is like a wonderland in itself when you enter) makes it even more interesting and enjoyable. The team are always in-character, showing passion for sharing stories and breathing fresh air into them, and that's what makes it so magical."

Emma Kisby
Owner, Influencer & Host at face2facemaidenhead.co.uk