Client: The Greensand Trust
Venue: Working Woodlands Centre, Maulden Woods
Date: August & October 2019
Project: Storytelling in the woods & Lantern Walk
Jane worked with the Greensand Trust to deliver two storytelling events in Maulden Woods this year. During the first event in the summer, families followed the trail of riddles to lead them to a secret glade where the storyteller was waiting with tales to entertain. In October, lanterns were decorated to light up the way on a night-time story trail through the trees. Tales of nocturnal creatures were told on this wild night out in the woods.
Client: The Chiltern Society
Venue: Bottom Wood, near Stokenchurch, Bucks
Date: August 2019
Project: Storytelling in the Woods
Families were taken on a guided walk into the woods where they were entertained by Jane’s tales of trees, woodland creatures and other folk, before enjoying their picnic and taking part in a scavenger hunt.
“We found this event delightful. Thank you” participant
“It was lovely meeting you Jane, the event went really well” Event coordinator, the Chiltern Society
Client: Central Bedfordshire Council
Venue: Houghton Hall Park
Date: July & August 2019
Project: The Storyteller’s Garden
Working with Jenny, the very creative community gardener, Jane helped lead a series of events over the summer to encourage families to enjoy the park. Jenny had designed one of the flower beds in the kitchen garden to grow stories. Children were invited to explore the garden and see what stories they could find before enjoying storytelling with Jane and getting creative with crafts. Jane led story and craft sessions themed on Jack and the Beanstalk, Caterpillar and Creepy Crawly Stories and Rabbit Tales.
“Thank you for all your hard work with these great events at Houghton Hall Park. It has been good to work with you again and I hope we can do something very similar in the future.” Community Gardener
Client: Stevenage Borough Council
Venue: Whomerley Wood
Date: February 2019
Project: Wonders of Winter Woodland
All ready for families to gather around the fire to hear a winter woodland tale.
As part of series of activities on a guided walk though this ancient woodland, Jane was invited to provide some storytelling entertainment. Families gathered on the circle of log seats around the fire to hear a winter woodland tale.
Client : The Wildlife Trust BCN
Venue: Blows Down, Dunstable, Bedfordshire
Date: October 2019 and May 2016
Creating new wild stories
Project: “See and Be Seen” & “Wild Stories”
Jane has told wildlife tales for these family events helping local people to explore this wonderful chalk grassland site. Bats, birds, minibeasts, foxes and friends all appear in Jane’s colourful storytelling linked to the wildlife found on the nature reserve. Also, for the Wildlife Trust BCN, Jane has been storytelling in Houghton Regis library helping to raise awareness of local wildlife.
Client: Plantlife
Venue: Ranscombe Farm, Kent
Date: May 2018
Project Description: Colour in the Margins, A Back from the Brink Partnership Project
Field poppies – a more common arable weed, in the beautiful setting of Ranscombe Farm, Kent
Jane worked with the Colour in the Margins Outreach Officer to develop stories with an arable theme, reworking traditional tales and creating some new ones to raise the profile of arable weed species and awareness of the arable habitat as an important part of our cultural heritage. Inconspicuous and little-known species such as interrupted brome and broad-leaved cudweed took centre stage in the stories.
The stories had their first telling at Plantlife’s Ranscombe Farm Reserve Open Day where families could enjoy wildflower and farm walks, craft activities and a visit to the storytelling tent. In the stories children and their parents discovered Venus’s looking glass and the blue pimpernel with Lazy Jack; The Small Grey Partridge had to contend with corncockle in her crop of wheat in an alternative version of The Little Red Hen; the whisper of a grass was heard; and a rainbow of weeds appeared.
The project is in its early stages and it is hoped by both parties there will be further opportunities for storytelling to play a role in the public engagement with Colour in the Margins.
More information about Plantlife’s Colour in the Margins
Thank you SO MUCH for all your hard work and beautiful storytelling. We all feel that the event went really well, and we got some incredibly good feedback from everyone that came along, I feel there was a lot of positivity generated and interests sparked for the project going forward which is a really lovely feeling! I had an email from one family to say thank you for such a lovely day and that they very much enjoyed the storytelling. Colour in the Margins Outreach Officer.
Client : The Royal Horticultural Society
Venue: Wisley, Surrey
Date: 2012 – present
Project Description: Jane is a regular storyteller during the school holidays at RHS Garden Wisley. Jane’s performances, with different themes for each holiday, have included underwater stories, spooky woodland tales, rainbow tales and of course, garden stories.
“Thank you for all the fabulous storytelling” Learning and Families Manager
More information about RHS Wisley
Client: The Forest of Marston Vale Trust
Venue: The Forest Centre, Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire
Date: 2010 – present
Project Description: Jane delivers a programme of children’s events at the Forest Centre, a mixture of indoor crafts and outdoor adventures, all with a wildlife theme. Past events have included: Mole’s Secret Underground World, The Footprint Forest, Marvellous Migration and Pond Dipping & Design. Activities have varied from cardboard and tissue creations; mud modelling and willow crafts to wildlife discovery sessions. Jane’s events are frequently enhanced by an element of storytelling.
“As a Forest Centre Volunteer, I have helped with many of the kid’s events. They have all, without exception, been tremendous fun – and the kids have enjoyed them too! We’ve made kites, badger masks, owl biscuits and hedgehog houses to name a few. Pond dipping was another great favourite and the children were thrilled with what they found. Jane always comes up with an imaginative, fun activity which includes an element of education, hopefully sparking an interest in wildlife which will live long in the children’s minds.”
More information about the Forest of Marston Vale