Flo and Friends

A story co-written by six different schools and
youth groups from Ballycastle, Dungannon,
Lisburn and East Belfast
Supported by

CONTENTS
ABOUT
FOREWORD
Chapter 1:
Not Just Birds Can Fly
Cross and Passion College & Ballycastle
High School
Chapter 2:
Cathal the Croc
Dungannon Youth Resource Centre
Chapter 3:
A Surprise in Lisburn
3D Youth Centre, Resurgum Trust
Chapter 4:
Huckleberry’s, Here We Come!
Ulster Tower Community Association
Chapter 5:
She Can Fly
Walkway Community Centre
Illustrations by:
RJ Lively
Apex Housing Association (Apex) is a
leading not-for-profit housing provider
in Northern Ireland, managing over 7,000
high-quality homes across the region.
It delivers care and support for almost
18,000 tenants and residents, including
families, older people, and those with
complex needs. Its mission is “to lead the
way in building sustainable communities
through the delivery of quality, affordable
homes including tailored support and
care services”.
Apex is a key partner in the ‘Housing
for All’ Shared Housing Programme,
managed by the Northern Ireland Housing
Executive. The initiative promotes
good relations and social cohesion by
creating inclusive neighbourhoods where
people from diverse backgrounds live,
learn and grow together. Each shared
neighbourhood is supported by a five-year
good relations plan, developed by its local
advisory group to strengthen community
bonds and foster mutual understanding.
–
Fighting Words NI is a youth charity
dedicated to empowering children and
young people through the transformative
power of creative writing. We believe that
every young person has a unique story
to tell, and our mission is provide them
with the tools, support and inspiration
to express themselves confidently and
creatively.
This zine has been made possible thanks to the support Apex Housing Association
receives through the 'Housing For All' Shared Housing Programme. We’re proud to
showcase contributions from Apex schemes in Ballycastle, Dungannon, Lisburn and
East Belfast – each bringing unique voices and perspectives to this project.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone involved for helping us celebrate shared spaces, stories
and connections.
Apex Housing Association
It has been a great pleasure to visit Apex Housing Association’s housing schemes and
to work with the young people who live there. The story you are about to read was
co-written by six different groups, each bringing their own imagination, characters,
and twists to the adventure.
Students from Ballycastle High School and Cross and Passion College set the whole tale
in motion. Who would they choose to write about, and what would drive their characters
forward? Without giving too much away, they got the adventure off to a flying start.
From Ballycastle, the story travelled to the Dungannon Youth Resource Centre, where
the writers – inspired (like many great authors) by their own footwear – introduced a
snappy, sole-ful new character. In Lisburn, the 3D Youth Centre parachuted into Chapter
Three, reuniting us with a familiar face who added fresh energy to the journey.
The final chapters unfolded in East Belfast: first with Ulster Tower Community
Association, where the adventure picked up pace, and then with Walkway Community
Centre, who brought the tale to a heartfelt conclusion rooted in friendship and
imagination.
Just as Flo could only achieve her dream with the help of her friends, this story only
came to life through the creativity and contributions of every young person involved.
Our heartfelt thanks go to facilitator Molly Martin and illustrator RJ Lively for their
energy and enthusiasm; to Gordon Crozier and the team at Apex Housing for their
vision; to the group leaders and young people at every group we visited; and to you, the
reader — we hope you enjoy this tale as much as we enjoyed creating it!
The ideas, opinions and comments expressed in this publication are entirely
the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent or reflect
our funders’ policies.
Hannah Armstrong & Emma Gibb
Project coordinators
2 3

CHAPTER 1: Not Just Birds Can Fly
by Cross and Passion College & Ballycastle High School
Once upon a time in Ballycastle, there was a sheepdog
named Flo. She lived on a farm on top of Fairhead. One
night in late July, Flo was watching the sheep when she
saw a shooting star. She made a wish to be able to fly.
In the forest nearby, there was a unicorn cat with seven rainbow wings. His name was
Freddie. Freddie had been abandoned when he was young because he was different. He
had made his way to an orphanage, where he was taken in by the people who worked
there. After two years, he was kicked out for breaking a window.
Excitement filled every corner of Freddie’s body as he took off on his quest. As he flew
over Fairhead farm, Flo saw him and started barking.
“Teach me how to fly!” barked Flo, but Freddie didn’t understand.
“What’s that animal even saying to me?!” Freddie wondered to himself. He landed out of
curiosity. Just then, a squirrel called Robert fell out of a tree. “Ow!” said Robert, looking
up in surprise at Freddie and Flo.
4 5

CHAPTER 2: Cathal the Croc
by Dungannon Youth Resource Centre
CHAPTER 3: A Surprise in Lisburn
by 3D Youth Centre, Resurgum Trust
Meanwhile in Dungannon, there was a croc called Cathal.
Cathal was a green and pink right-foot croc with 4
charms. Since he was a right-foot croc, he was always
right. Cathal had a special power called flying crocs. When
he got nervous, tiny mini crocs shot out of the holes and
grew in size to a medium.
Flo, Freddie and Cathal boarded the plane. They were off to Spain! They sat down in aisle
two and buckled their seatbelts. They’d been flying for one millisecond when a storm hit.
Cathal loved to dance, swim and do backflips. He travelled
the world in a submarine and ended up in Dungannon,
where he went to the local Savers and found a packet of
poisonous Jaffa Cakes for a pound.
Cathal’s birthday was 26th July, which was tomorrow. For
his birthday he decided to take a bus from Dungannon Bus
Station to George Best City Airport. He was going to catch
a plane to Salou in Spain and have a trampoline party on
the beach.
When he got to the airport, he saw a sheepdog standing
next to a unicorn cat. They were looking up at the
Departures Board.
“Put your seatbelts on,” said the captain’s voice, forgetting everyone was already
wearing them.
Flo, Freddie and Cathal felt sick and grabbed for the sick bags under the seats. They
pulled out three parachutes instead.
The plane wobbled. They ran to the side door of the plane. Flo pulled the door open with
her mouth and Cathal jumped first.
“Aaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh!” screamed Cathal, as he fell through the air. They landed on top
of a building. Luckily the roof was flat. It was midnight, so there was no one here.
“Look over there,” said Flo, “there’s a sign!”
“It says ‘3D Youth Centre, Lisburn’,” said Freddie, squinting in the dark to read it.
They climbed down off the roof and looked in through the window. There was a small
brown squirrel with bright blue eyes, sitting in the middle of a room full of drums. It
was Robert!
6 7

CHAPTER 4: Huckleberry’s, Here We Come!
by Ulster Tower Community Association
Flo and Freddie were surprised to see Robert there.
“What the…?!” said Cathal, who’d never met the squirrel before.
“Let’s go inside and talk to Robert. We need to tell him everything,” said Flo.
“Let’s parachute down and open the door,” suggested Cathal.
Freddie pulled at the handle. “The door’s locked!” he said.
“I’ll be able to fix it,” said Cathal calmly. He looked right into the smart camera.
Robert could see them from his office inside.
“Can we speak to you, please?” asked Cathal.
Robert picked up the phone. “Depends who you are,” he answered.
“Drumsticks-10-232-632,” said Cathal, knowing that the password would get them
through the door. It worked.
Robert met them at the garage. He pulled the handle to open it. Inside there was a
skateboard, a pogo stick, roller skates, a dirt bike and drums. They all gasped.
“This is my garage,” said Robert, “and you have to be kind here. What are you looking for?”
“I wish I could fly,” said Flo. Robert thought for a moment.
Eight hours later
The sign outside Huckleberry’s was black and red. The door was open, so they just
walked in. There were two people behind the counter.
Flo looked around and saw three jars of chocolate on the shelves. There was dark
chocolate, milk chocolate and white chocolate.
“I know where we should go. There’s a sweetie shop in East Belfast called
Huckleberry’s with really sour sweets, spicy Takis and the best slushies in the galaxy.
If we mix them up just right, you’ll be able to fly.”
“Can I have some dark chocolate, please?” Flo asked.
“Yeah, here you go,” said the girl at the till.
“Hurry up and open the garage door!” said Freddie, eager to get going.
“I’d like a milkshake, please,” said Cathal, hopping over.
“Be kinder next time,” said Robert.
“Alright,” said the girl, pouring it into a cup. “Here it is.”
“Please open the garage door?” Freddie tried again.
“And I want candyfloss!” said Freddie.
Cathal grabbed the pogo stick and Robert jumped on the skateboard. Freddie put on the roller
skates and Flo hopped on the dirt bike. They went super speedy out the door to Belfast.
Robert walked up the counter. He had a bag on his back. Nobody knew it, but Robert was
actually a robber…
8 9

CHAPTER 5: She Can Fly
by Walkway Community Association
THANK YOU
To all the young writers who shared their imaginations and words with us.
“I’m a robber!” said Robert, running out of Huckleberry’s
towards Connswater Shopping Centre. Everybody gasped
as they watched him leave.
To the group leaders and staff at Cross and Passion College, Ballycastle High Schol,
Dungannon Youth Resource Centre, 3D Youth Centre (Resurgam Trust), Ulster Tower
Community Association, and Walkway Community Centre.
“Let’s follow him!” shouted Flo, jumping on the pogo
stick. Freddie got on the dirt bike, and Cathal put on the
roller skate. They followed after Robert, super speedy.
"Oh no,” said Flo. “What about our potion ingredients??”
On the way, they ran past an apple tree.
“An apple for the potion,” called Cathal, picking one.
Then they passed some pigeons. Freddie grabbed a pigeon
and Flo plucked some feathers from its back.
To Gordon Crozier, whose vision made this project possible, and the entire Apex team.
To Molly Martin for her wonderful facilitation and RJ Lively for her beautiful
illustrations.
To Ian Pitt and the rest of the team at Me, Him & Her for their continued support and
passion, and for another beautiful publication.
The Fighting Words NI staff: Hannah Armstrong, Lucy Beevor, Hilary Copeland, Marnie
Kennedy, Aoife E. Osborne, Sam Savage and Sorcha Jordan.
“These ingredients will make you fly!” Freddie said.
When they arrived at Connswater, they mixed their
ingredients into a magic slushie. Flo took a drink.
Everybody held their breath.
Our gratitude to the Fighting Words NI Board: Liz Barron, Paul Connolly, Andrew Drylie,
Professor Tony Gallagher, Colm Ó Cuanacháin and Rick O'Shea.
Editor: Emma Gibb
“Is it working?” asked Flo. Very slowly, she started to rise
up above the river and into the sky. Everyone put their
arms in the air and cheered.
Robert saw what was happening from a distance and
gasped in surprise and amazement. He ran over to join his
friends, who welcomed him back. Looking up in delight,
he cheered “I can’t believe it! You’re finally flying!”
“I couldn’t have done it without you,” barked Flo.
“Let’s go home!”
This a Fighting Words NI publication, © 2025
Design by Me, Him & Her. Printed by GPS Colour Graphics.
10 11

Fighting Words NI
Crescent Arts Centre,
2-4 University Road,
Belfast, BT7 1NH
www.fightingwords.co.uk
follow us @fightingwordsni
Supported by:
Charity Registration No: NIC105751 Company No: NI638582
Fighting Words Northern Ireland is a charity registered with The Charity
Commission for Northern Ireland at the above address.