Another Autumn term has drawn to a close and what a cracker it’s been! I’ve visited loads of schools across the North West working with thousands of children, delivered storytelling sessions in libraries and even participated in a community project in Rochdale. I’m going to take some time out over Christmas to rest and recharge…
The sun may have been shining but I didn’t see much of it as I was busy visiting lots of schools! I had a fantastic few months working with twenty schools. From Fleetwood to Rawtenstall, Blackpool to Barnoldswick, Kirkby Lonsdale to Darwen and Barrow to Swinton – I had an absolute blast! I even managed…
What a hectic term that was! Seventeen school visits and six library events were squeezed in, even taking in a virtual stop-off in Suffolk. National Storytelling Week and World Book Day (Month!!) always make this term one of the busiest, but after the Covid troubles of the last couple of years it was great to…
The new academic year started with a bang! Autumn Term kicked off with two days of visits in Redditch, Worcestershire, which was very exciting indeed. School sessions quickly followed in Blackpool, Chorley, St Helens and Preston. In total, I worked in-person with pupils in nineteen schools this term which was magical after the extreme challenges…
The final half term of the academic year saw a flurry of visits as I rebooted my in-person visits. I had the pleasure of working with the Year 3 pupils at Unity Academy, Blackpool, creating fearsome pirate characters. An afternoon visit to St Catherine’s Academy, Bolton, was spent telling stories and answering lots of questions…
If I’m honest, I was worried that WBD 2021 might not be able to happen. Covid and repeated lockdowns had changed everything and rather than visiting schools I was busy creating virtual options to keep the book buzz alive. Well I need not have worried! Schools and youth groups adapted, evolved and completely embraced the…
National Storytelling Week 2021 evolved into a two-week storytelling extravaganza! All visits were virtual this year, because of Covid-19, but the storytelling action wasn’t affected. I spent time working with a range of ages, from Nursery to Year 8 in the UK and even overseas. Zooms with schools in Bedfordshire and Lancashire, plus an international…
After six months out of schools due to Covid-19 it was wonderful to reboot my school events with a visit to St Johns CE Primary, Blackpool. Year 4 had been studying one of my Impossible Tales and reading Eric Appleby: Zero To Hero as their class reader. During the morning, we picked apart an ‘unseen…
Due to the ongoing global pandemic, life for most of us has been put on hold. As of March 16th 2020 all of my events for the forseeable future were cancelled or postponed. All that matters at the moment is that everyone stays safe and well. Whilst I am unable to make it in person…
2020 kicked off with a busy first half-term! I visited ten primaries and two libraries across the North West, delivering storytelling sessions and writing workshops. Highlights included a first-time visit to Wigan when I shared stories at Standish library as part of National Storytelling Week – what a treat that was! Hopefully I’ll get to…