Hampshire Storytellers Celebrate a Year of Tales in Winchester

Good Cake, Good Company, Great Stories!

It may have been as as cold as it was on the 2nd Wednesday of February 2012, yet  in the cellar of the Hyde Tavern - Winchester spirits were high and the stories flowing.

It's hard to believe that we've made it to our first birthday as a story club without missing a single month, but mission accomplished! Throughout the year the humble walls of our now beloved cellar have become saturated with tales on a wide range of topics, including Animal Antics, Helpers & Heroes, Treasures & Gifts, Flaming June and Stories of Snow and Ice...

Our evening began with my telling of 'The Monkey and the Jellyfish' the first story told when the club opened in the cellar, and then we moved into tales of celebratory occasions and feasting. Among them: How Boots Fooled the King, The Three Dolls, Cape of Rushes, and The Vanishing Boy.

Also shared (between mouthfuls of cake), were personal reminiscences of listeners own Birthdays and celebrations. Most memorable being Emma's tale of a party on the beach in where well meaning villagers presented her with the choice delicacies from the Birthday feast... chicken head and feet!

To my delight our gathering brought to mind something I had forgotten for many years. At my 6th Birthday party my Father sat my guests down after tea and begin to spin a story about finding a magical tree. He left the room only to return with a small potted tree covered with lollipops. I guess storytelling is more in my blood than I had remembered - Thank you Dad for your gift of imagination.

I adore the way stories give birth to other stories and memories in our minds. It is a continual source of wonder to me and what makes such gatherings, face to face, with openness and laughter together something worth preserving and promoting. Here's to another year and more besides!

My musings on the evening would not be complete without expressing heartfelt thanks to Steph with whom I co-host 'Wykeham Tales', who bravely said "I can't believe a City like Winchester has no Story Club" and dared to dream it into being.

Thank you to Jill who came all the way up from Christchurch to tell us a story, as she did on our very first night in 2012. Also a big 'hurrah' to Janet who told her first story and was fabulous, we look forward to hearing more.

 Mike Rogers, you were sorely missed and I'll bake cake again for you in March... if anyone else wants a piece you'll have to turn up for yourself and join us.

Find out for yourself what the most friendly club in Winchester is like, March 13th gathering 7.30pm onwards in the Hyde Tavern bar for an 8pm start in the cellar.