Alex Wheatle

Remembering Alex: One Year On Today marks exactly one year since we lost our "Brixton Bard," Alex Wheatle. Even after twelve months, the sense of loss still feels incredibly fresh—as if it were only yesterday that we were hearing his voice, reading his words, or sharing in his infectious energy. While the void he left behind is immense, the past year has been a powerful testament to the impact Alex had on the world. As his family, we want to express how much comfort we have found in reading your tributes from a year ago. It has been a true honour to see his legacy celebrated through so many milestones over the last year: • The moving Crongton TV series premiere. • The Film & TV Charity honoured Alex just a month after his passing. • The release of The Girl with the Red Boots and Crongton Christmas Party in 2025, ensuring his stories continue to reach new readers. • The "Book Clubs in Schools" event, the countless heartfelt tribute posts, and most recently, the beautiful gathering at Brixton Library to remember him in the heart of the community he loved. • Our family charity walk for Prostate Cancer UK, which turned our grief into a force for good. Alex’s story is far from over, and there is much more to come as we continue to celebrate his legacy. Alex’s family is looking to launch a campaign for a @nubianjak Trust Blue Plaque to permanently mark Alex’s contribution to British culture and history. Please keep a close eye on our updates—we will need your support to make this happen. In June, the annual "March for Men" for Prostate Cancer UK will take place. While our family won’t be able to make it to the event this year, we urge you to sign up and walk in Alex’s honour. Walk for Alex, and walk for all the men who are living with or have been lost to this disease. Let’s keep moving forward for them. Finally, we want to say a massive thank you to every single one of you. Whether you shared a post, read one of his books to your children, or simply kept him in your thoughts, your support has sustained us. Thank you for remembering Alex and for helping us keep his legacy vibrant and alive. Alex Wheatle MBE: Writer, Mentor, Legend. Never forgotten

Thinking of Alex today on what would have been his 63rd birthday. Looking back at this photo from his 60th in 2023, it feels so poignant to remember him surrounded by everyone he loved, past and present. His final message to us all—to live through 'acts of kindness'—is a legacy we carry forward. We miss his presence, but his spirit and his kindness remain with us always 💙🎂💙

From @newpicturesltd 🎉🎉 We have thrilled to announce CRONGTON has won the Children’s Scripted award at the 2026 BAFTA Television Awards🥇🏆 Congratulations to @alexwheatle @archiemaddocks @aguadecocogirl and the brilliant cast! CRONGTON is available to stream in BBC iPlayer, based on Alex Wheatle’s award-winning YA books, published by @hachettechildrens 📚🎬

Huge congratulations to Alex and Crongton on their incredible BAFTA win! 🏆✨ ​It’s a bittersweet moment, but one filled with immense pride. While Alex isn’t here to see this, his talent and spirit shine through every frame of this project. This award is a testament to his vision and the lasting impact of his work. ​His legacy continues to live on through the stories he told and the lives he touched. We’re celebrating this win for both of you tonight. ❤️🎬 Thank you to @newpicturesltd @aguadecocogirl @archiemaddocks and to all of the Actors. 🤞🏿 for a season 2 ​#BAFTA #Crongton #Legacy #InLovingMemory #Alex Winner

Alex Wheatle’s WITNESS @theatrepeckham @thepeckhamfringe @alexwheatle

Theatre Peckham and @wordsofcolour are delighted to announce Alex Wheatle Day 2026 on Bank Holiday Monday (4th May)! The performance of Alex Wheatle’s novella WITNESS will be followed by a Q&A with some incredible special guests. One not to miss. Last few tickets remaining, book yours NOW at the link in bio 🎟️

“One moment can change everything.” Alex Wheatle’s WITNESS Theatre Peckham warmly invites you to WITNESS, a powerful story by Alex Wheatle directed by Suzann McLean. The show opens Peckham Fringe 2026 and stars many talented Young Peckham alumni from across the years! When Cornell witnesses a shocking act of violence, his world changes forever leaving him torn between speaking out and risking everything, or staying silent to protect those closest to him. Claim your £10 ticket using discount code COMMUNITY10🎟️ @alexwheatle @theatrepeckham

@theatrepeckham and Words of Colour announce the launch of Alex Wheatle Day on Monday 4th May 2026 (5pm-8.30pm) @thepeckhamfringe to celebrate the literary legacy of the multi-award-winning author who died on 16th March 2025. (Ticket information in our bio.) The inaugural Alex Wheatle Day, which will be an annual event, includes a staged adaptation of @alexwheatle 's YA novella WITNESS written by Theatre Peckham’s @suzann.mclean  and writer David Fielding.  Commissioned by Alex before he passed away, the play explores courage, loyalty and the price of telling the truth against a backdrop of knife crime. There'll be a post-show panel featuring award-winning writer and poet @derekvsowusu , actors @sheyicxle (who played Alex) and @elliotedusah (who played Alex’s best friend Valin) in Small Axe, Steve McQueen’s anthology film series, and @1yarei , film and TV industry executive. Alex Wheatle, aka the ‘Brixton Bard’, wrote 21 books, including a novella, and won the London Arts Board Writers Prize 2000 for Brixton Rock, the Guardian’s Children’s Fiction Award in 2016 and the Renaissance Quiz Writers’ Choice Award for Crongton Knights. The BBC’s adaptation of Crongton, written by @archiemaddocks  and directed by @aguadecocogirl , won the RTS Award for Best Children's Programme 2026 and has been nominated for a BAFTA Television Award 2026. Alex Wheatle Day will also host a foyer exhibition on Alex’s legacy, a special reggae, dub, Lovers Rock and grime set by @djhybridj alongside food stalls and raffles for prizes, including Alex’s award-winning Crongton book series donated by @hachettechildrens @croydonfm @lambeth_libraries

Proud of this one. We’re opening Peckham Fringe as Theatre Peckham celebrates it 40th birthday. And we’re doing it with WITNESS. This cast is phenomenal. Fearless and fierce. They’re bringing serious energy and are ready to light up Peckham Fringe 2026. Adapting WITNESS for the stage comes with real responsibility. Alex Wheatle entrusted us with his words and with the young people his story represents. And we’ve stepped up to do it justice. Proud to be part of the ‘Alex Wheatle Witness Project for Young Actors’, to be back with my writing partner David Fielding and to be working with Words of Colour Productions. Stellar creative team Mariangela Mazzeo (Set/Costume Design), Jahmiko Marshall (Lighting), Elliot Popeau-George (Sound) @jiggycreationz (Artwork) Your Peckham Fringe, start here. 🎭 2–5 May 2026�🎟️ Tickets: https://bit.ly/Witness2026 #Witness #PeckhamFringe2026 @alexwheatle @wordsofcolour #NewWriting @peckhamsettlement @southwarkcouncil @davey_novick_fielding

CRONGTON won Best Children's Programme at the @royaltelevisionsociety awards last night! Congratulations to @archiemaddocks @aguadecocogirl @newpicturesltd to name a few for bringing CRONGTON to life and to our screens 🏆