Barbara Panetta
Creator of Ant Chloe
Sometimes, the smallest characters can inspire the biggest changes. Ant Chloe began with a simple idea: to create stories that entertain children, celebrate kindness and show that even the smallest among us can make a difference.
Ant Chloe began with Chloe’s Promise, a story published during the pandemic to raise money for the NHS. Following the success of the first book, a second adventure, Chloe and the Grandfather Clock, continued the journey, sharing messages of kindness, hope and helping a children’s charity.
The books are also brought to life through animated videobooks on the Ant Chloe YouTube channel, combining the original illustrations with soundtracks composed by international musician, Alessandro Viale, and narration by television presenter, Ben Shephard, and acclaimed actress, Sally Phillips. The animated videobooks combine the original illustrations, original music and engaging narration, creating an immersive audiovisual experience that brings Ant Chloe’s stories to life for children and families.
Alongside the videobooks, Ant Chloe produces short videos dedicated to charitable causes. The latest, Chloe and the Rainy Day, supports Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity. By sharing these videos on YouTube, Ant Chloe aims to raise awareness of the charity’s work and encourage viewers to make donations. The idea is simple: people can watch and share the videos, helping the message reach a wider audience, and those who enjoy the video can contribute through the donation link to support the cause.
Another exciting step in Ant Chloe’s journey was a collaboration with second-year students at Leeds Arts University. Working on a live creative brief, the students explored Ant Chloe’s stories and helped bring them to life through animation. As the project brought us to Leeds, we wanted to support a children’s charity with a strong connection to the surrounding community. Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity felt like a meaningful choice, given its close geographical links to Leeds and the vital work it does for children and families. Through this collaboration, we hope to raise awareness of the charity and support the incredible work it does, bringing creativity and charitable giving together in a way that reaches beyond the classroom.
The collaboration shows how storytelling, education, music and animation can come together to create something meaningful. It also gives emerging artists the chance to use their talents beyond the classroom and contribute to a cause that makes a difference.
At the heart of Ant Chloe is the belief that stories, creativity and teamwork can inspire kindness, empathy and a sense of responsibility towards others. Through books, videos and collaborations, we bring people together, encourage creative ideas and work towards a shared goal: supporting charities that make a difference to the lives of children and their families.
We hope that children enjoy Ant Chloe’s adventures and that our projects remind everyone that even small acts of kindness can have a meaningful impact. Discover more about Ant Chloe – explore the stories on my website and watch the animated videobooks on the Ant Chloe YouTube Channel.
To support Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity, visit the donation page.
