Outreach, Awards, Reviews: Meet the New Volunteers Helping To Grow Your BFS

As we look back on another massive year for your BFS – so many events, gatherings, opportunities! – it’s also time to make plans for the future. It’s exciting that we’re growing so quickly and welcoming so many new people into the fold, but we also want to make sure this community stays special. Which also means the volunteers that keep the lights on here are always thinking about ways to improve how we do things.

Given your committee is all volunteers with lives and commitments, it sometimes that means we need to say some sad goodbyes – but it also means we can say hello to some fresh blood. As we thank Kat Fowler and Sarah Deeming for their hard work as our awards administrator and reviews editor respectively, we’re excited to welcome three new faces to the team, each with their own ideas to keep up the awesomeness.

Please join us as we welcome the fresh blood, including our very first person dedicated to inclusion:

• Marve Michael Anderson joins in a new role, Outreach & Inclusion Coordinator
• Paul Yates steps into Kat’s shoes as our new Awards Administrator
• Adrian Fletcher takes up the mantle of Sarah Deeming as our new Reviews Editor

You can meet these wonderful people below, and find out why they put their hand up to join in.

Says BFS Chair Shona Kinsella: “The BFS is run entirely by volunteers. These people dedicate their time, energy and passion to the Society out of love for SFFH and this community and we couldn’t exist without them. I’m delighted to welcome Marve, Paul and Adrian to the team and I’m excited to be working with them. I can’t wait to see what we can achieve together for the society in 2025.

“I would like to take a moment to offer our deepest thanks to Katherine Fowler and Sarah Deeming who are stepping down from their roles. Both have served as committee members for several years (9 and 6 respectively) and have done a wonderful job. On a personal note, I will miss working with both of them, and I’ve been very glad of their friendship and support over the years.”

Meet Marve Michael Anson: Outreach & Inclusion Coordinator

Marve has been writing for over a decade and has self-published a thriller, HIS DARK REFLECTION, to critical acclaim.  

She was shortlisted for the Future Worlds Prize in 2023, winning mentorship from a top UK editor. Her debut fantasy novel, FIRSTBORN OF THE SUN, is the first in a trilogy being published by Penguin Michael Joseph in October 2025. This novel was also shortlisted for the 2022 Jericho Writers Friday Night Live Competition and the 2022 Kit De Waal Bursary, 

was longlisted for the 2023 REVPIT competition, and won the 2023 Jericho Writers’ Self Edit Course Bursary. 

In addition, Marve is a filmmaker who wrote and produced an award-winning short film in 2016 and is a recipient of the 2017 AFRIFF Film School Scholarship Program. 

She works as a technology consultant during the day and a storyteller at night. She is the Outreach and Inclusion Co-ordinator for British Fantasy Society, a member of the Society of Authors and the World Science Fiction Society. She is a mentor for Black Girl Writers.

When she’s not weaving fantastical tales, you can find her exploring life as a serial hobbyist, delving into everything from obsessing over myths and histories, collecting books and passionately assembling her own personal library to indulging in an unapologetic obsession with all things Christmas. 

She is represented by Ciara Finan and Flo Sandelson at Curtis Brown Literary Agency (UK) and United Talent Agency (USA).

Why have you volunteered for this role?

As a member of the BFS community, I believe the diversity in the worlds and universes we explore as writers and readers should be well reflected in our own community. Storytelling and the exploration of the mythical and fantastical are simultaneously unique to many cultures as they are universal to the human race. I hope to create opportunities for more members of the global majority to join our ranks and be wholeheartedly welcomed into this society.

Why are you the right person for this job? What do you bring to it?

So many voices within the global majority hold stories and folklore centuries old waiting to be told. As someone of African descent, it is so important to me that as we weave fantastical tales in our current age, that our stories are included in the history books that will stand the test of time. I am committed to supporting the diverse voices in our community.

Any early plans or goals?

My goal is to support the current BIPOC members in BFS and welcome even more members into the community. With more opportunities to showcase their works and more sponsorships, I hope to see a tangible increase in our engagement with writers/readers from the global majority.

How can people get in touch with you?

I’m justmarvewrites on all platforms (Twitter, BlueSky, Threads, IG and Tiktok), or you can DM me on Discord.

Meet Paul Yates: British Fantasy Awards Administrator

Originating from North Kent, but now resident in Switzerland with his wife and partner in crime, Chloë, Paul is an engineering expert in Avionics and Aerospace. With a strong interest in art, especially Art Concret and Minimalism, he is also a composer and appreciator of Electronic music. He’s a Marvel and Star Wars fan on the side, and thinks C.A. Yates is one of the best writers around (it’s in the contract!).

Why have you volunteered for this role?

My wife Chloë and I have been red-cloaking at Fantasycon for about ten years now, so I have attended the Fantasy awards many times. I have also volunteered as a juror on award panels for several years. I know Kat Fowler, the outgoing organiser, very well and she has done an absolutely fabulous job. I will do my best to match her efforts and consider it an honour to be her successor.

Why are you the right person for this job? What do you bring to it?

Living in Fribourg, obviously I bring Swiss neutrality to the role! I have worked in Project Management for most of my career, and am used to managing big projects, am well organised, and computer competent. I’m not a huge reader but love a good fantasy film or TV series.

Any early plans or goals?

No, just to keep the awards going as well as they have been under Kat’s care.

How can people get in touch with you?

You can find me on Facebook under my real name, on Instagram, Bluesky and Discord as yateseo. Or via elyateseo@gmail.com.

Meet Adrian Fletcher: Reviews Editor

I grew up in Warrington in the North-West of England. I read The Chronicles of Narnia as a child and I’ve loved fantasy ever since. I moved away for University and work (in IT, far less interesting than talking, allegorical Lions). It wasn’t until after Covid that I discovered the wonders of the BFS and a space for people who share a love of great stories. Hoping to share that as much as I can as review editor.

Why have you volunteered for this role?

Sincere concern for my own physical safety. I’ve been a member of the BFS for some time, and I’ve got to know a lot of the other volunteers and how much time and effort they put into the community. When you see how much good the BFS does it makes you want to get involved and help other people out.

Why are you the right person for this job? What do you bring to it?

I love fantasy, and I love spreading the word about great fantasy books. I’m committed to making sure that some of the lesser known fantasy gems out there get the attention they deserve, and reviews are a great way to do that.

Any early plans or goals?

Just to keep those reviews coming, then see what I can do to make sure that our reviews reach as many people as possible. Thanks to Sarah’s great work we have amazing connections with publishers so there’s going to be exciting reviews.

How can people get in touch with you?

Generally the best way is to email BFSreviews@gmail.com. There are also forms on the website for submitting review requests or submitting your own reviews. If people do that then I’ll see them and respond. I’m on twitter and BlueSky as well as @AdeFletcher but there’s quite a lot of football talk to wade through!