Review of 2017 (and a giveaway)

As always I feel incredibly lucky to make a living from telling stories.

I’ve done some pretty cool things this year and had some amazing adventures… However some of the most personally fulfilling jobs have been the ones which are not such high profile. For example, in the summer I went to Portsmouth for a 40th birthday party, I told kids stories during the day and adults tales in the evening, it was a complete privilege to be invited to be part of such an important family event and treated like a welcome guest not just a performer.

I have visited loads of schools, I love them all but my favourite is

Boutcher CE Primary. It’s local, I know all the teachers; I drop in as many times as I can to tell stories, new ones which need a bit of “road testing” and old favourites. Thanks to these frequent visits and  support from the staff, the kids have learned how to listen. This means they are have an amazing capacity to process complex narratives and emotions. With such a brilliant audience I always leave walking on air!

Travel wise this year I have made it to the Sharjah Children’s Reading Fair in the UAE, to the British School in Milan in Italy and also to Belfast NI to deliver my TEDx talk about how to find magic.

I have told stories on Islam Channel in the UK and also for Turn productions Japanese TV.

I worked with some fantastic partners including the V&A museum, the Southbank Centre, the Royal Parks, Sadlers Wells, Harper Collins, Kew Gardens, the Maryam Centre in the East London Mosque, Florence Nightingale Museum, and UCL Alumni (below). I also got to tell stories inside a giant snail. (pic at the bottom of this post)

I saw one of my scariest stories made into an enormous architectural installation outside Goldsmiths University!

I’ve collaborated with some amazing people including The Embers, Bernadette Russell from White Rabbit, Saira Niazi of Living London, Chris Roberts from London Street Tours, Suzette Field of A Curious Invitation (below), George from Cunning Folk and also been part of London Month of the Dead.

I had a pretty weird time researching and telling this:

London Dreamtime storytelling walks were a huge joy, some magical, some scary. Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who came along and took part so wholeheartedly!

We told the story of Dr Dee twice- in Mortlake and in a private Library, we told the story of the Highgate Vampire twice- in a stately home and in the open air, we had scary stories in the woods and highwayman tales in Richmond, dusk enchantments in Woolwich, unlucky horrors in Peckham, ghost hunts in Deptford and Hampstead and a night of beauty in Kensal Green Cemetery and an amazing after dark adventure in Kensington… below are just four photos from our many adventures, I could have posted dozens!

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