What's on in the New Forest Tomorrow?

Stories on the farm have been going down extremely well at Beaulieu today as part of at the Out of Town Centre open day "The Countryside on Show".  

It was my first visit to this fantastic centre, run by the Countryside Education Trust, the air was full of the sights, sound and smells of a wide variety goats, horses, chickens, pigs... and alive with the thrum of activity.

As Taprisha and I set up among the hay bales in the barn we were inspected by a wandering flock of white geese, who also waddled by at other times - including while I told of Goosey Loosey and Chicken Licken.  With our stage set including welcoming flags to attract attention and woodland animal toys nestled among the straw, we were ready for our audiences.

And what lovely audiences they were! Lots of smiling faces and giggles, lots of joining with key phrases in familiar favourite tales and singing along with songs and ditties in new ones.

  "And he huffed and he puffed and he..."  
           
  "Can't catch me I'm the ...." 


It was great to see families enjoying their time listening together, and with encouragement even those without kids in tow found themselves being drawn to the barn to listen.

Amelia and Lacey's story fun was made all the more complete when they won a cuddly owl in our raffle - don't they look proud!

Big Smiles from the Raffle Winners

Next Raffle Prize:
This Lovely Badger

The best news is that if you missed out today, then the fun continues tomorrow with pony rides, meet the animals, goat milking, mud oven pizza making, falconry, woodworking, tasty speciality burgers and of course more STORYTELLING! 

Hope to see you there perhaps - it's a great setting and a wonderful day out, click the links above to find out more.  

ps. It stayed dry but wellies are a very good idea!

Storytelling with Year 4

This week I spent an afternoon taking children adventuring in the rain forest and climbing mountains in South America with courageous parrots saving the day in both stories.

90 children and me were squished into a Year 4 classroom but together we travelled great distances in our imaginations.

I had a fantastic time and so did the children who were lost deep in the images - even looking behind them to see the approaching storm clouds and mountain tops - fabulous.

Thank you Springhill Catholic Primary, I enjoyed being part of your book week, I hope you invite me back again soon!

Warm up your imagination in Winchester

Golden light is turning grey, Mists begin to rule the day...

This month the theme at our Winchester Story night is Autumn, Mists and Mysteries.  

Come and join us, deep in the depths of the Hyde Tavern Cellar and enter in to the world of your imagination. 

Discover some of the secrets of the Lincolnshire Carrs told by Mike Rogers (the very first story I heard him tell!) and help me unlock an old folk tale of 'The Key Flower'. Hear further tales or personal stories from myself, Steph and other regulars, and maybe even contribute a memory or two yourself.

All are welcome, we gather in the bar from 7.30pm onwards and descend to our cosy telling space at 8pm -10pm (with a top up and comfort break in the middle). Hope to see you there!

Off to visit the Forest Row Festival...

It may be the weekend, but this Friday will see me heading back to school-  not just any school though but The International School of Storytelling! 

I can hardly believe a whole year has passed since I was there studying on their full time course "The Heart and Craft of the Storyteller", and now another cohort of budding tellers have started their adventure...

As part of the festival I will have opportunities to hear both familiar colleagues and new voices telling stories in many different settings and contexts,including stories for children by the hearth in a home, a village hall and on storywalks. 

The icing on the cake will be an evening performance by Rachel Rose Reid in the College's Story Hut. The place that became my home for those 3 months, filled with laughter, stories, music and friendship, and many performances

It will be a wonderful weekend of nostalgia, walking the woods, new tales,  networking, and a chance to spend quality time browsing the School's library shelves. 

I'm really looking forward to it, I only hope the weather is kind since I will be sleeping in my tent!  

Tonight in Winchester...

And it all starts tonight in Winchester, Wykeham Tales serves up another Pint of Stories for your delight and entertainment.

This month's theme is Trees, Woods and Forests
Join us for an 8pm start in the cellar of The Hyde Tavern, Winchester.  

Hear about The Dryad of the Old Oak Tree, The Birch and the Shepherdess and other adventures from myself, Steph and the regulars.


Then as the evening draws to a close I'll be jumping into my car and driving off to the woods of Epping Forest ready for a course in London in the morning.  "Using Personal Stories in Palliative Care" at St Ethelburga's Centre for Peace and Reconciliation led by Roi Gal-Or.

Oui Oui, Stories en Vacance in France

What an amazing adventure, this August I have been exploring the Charante region in France, near Cognac with all of so my husband's family, including my 5 nieces, 1 nephew and Megan.

Over the two weeks I was certainly put through my story telling paces, with tales told in the pool, in the car, during a power cut, round the barbecue, in chateau gardens, towers, caves, and of course bedtimes.

One of my favourite moments was when the two 8year olds' room got taken over by the others who didn't want to miss out. Fiona returned from the bathroom and with one look at her own bed threw her hands up in the air and exclaimed "and where am I supposed to sit!" Her face was a picture.

There are of course many fine true stories to be told about our fortnight including: swimming with mice (not dolphins, yes-mice!), the mysterious dead bird that turned out to be an old sock and the night the door to our bedroom jammed till 'operation rescue' in the morning. May sound a nightmare holiday to you but buy me a drink and you'll quickly come to see the funny side.

But for now it's back in the UK for adventures and new story work opportunities. I'm refreshed and ready... bring it on!

Just Ringing to Say - Come to a great night out in Winchester!

 Ding dong, Stories calling...

 If you fancy a night out away from the Olympic Rings come and spend the evening with us storytelling and story-listening in the cellar of The Hyde Tavern, Winchester for 8pm this Thursday, 8th August.

Discover how our regular tellers interpret the theme of  Rings,  and take the opportunity to contribute with stories yourselves.  The tales this month may be wide and varied, but will surely entertain you.

Find out whose wedding ring escaped being swallowed by a Kraken, who used to read stories at the top of the bell ringers tower... and who might dare to enter the circus ring as a clown!

Hope to see you there, or put the next one in your diary now, for 12th September