I was really proud to be commissioned to create a 6-panel comic strip which could be used to highlight the work carried out by the Grenfell Health and Wellbeing Service who have worked tirelessly supporting adults and children affected by the Grenfell Fire.
The process began with a two-hour workshop where I worked with a group of children on choosing how best to communicate the invaluable work the service has provided to help with the long-term rehabilitation needs of the community.
The workshop was a really special couple of hours. We sat together with the kids and let the ideas come naturally, and they did. Everyone agreed the story needed to feel big and adventurous, so we built it around one character finding her way through a series of challenges.
The spark came from one of the boys, who shared a dream he’d had about being chased through a house by goblins with spears. It was vivid and brave of him to share it, and it became the heart of everything. We transformed that into a haunted house filled with emotion monsters - fear, anger, anxiety, trauma - things these kids know something about.
We talked about who should face them. After some back and forth, we landed on a girl as our hero. The Grenfell workers, represented by green hearts, would guide her through - each one helping with a different challenge, a different way out. And at the end, an art therapist literally paints a door to freedom: a green field, sunshine, birds, a carnival with music and food, and everyone together again.
I did a rough sketch and you could feel the room respond to it. From there, the kids helped shape it further - they gave her a name, Emily, tweaked her words, and then I brought her to life in full colour.
https://www.arenaillustration.com/news/2026/04/a-young-heros-journey-steve-may-and-the-grenfell-health-and-wellbeing-service/
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