Annual Report 2012

1. The Village Storytelling Centre Annual Report 2012

2. welcome to another busy and challenging year as our tree continues to spread its roots into new communities and groups. We have said goodbye to friends and colleagues and welcomed new talent to our team.

3. changing faces farewell to Joanna Rose Storyteller Off to South Korea to establish a storytelling project in a school for primary aged children Teresa Lowe Co-Director Left us in March for pastures new Fiona Rich Artist Saturday Arts closed it’s doors in March so we had to say goodbye, for the moment, to Fiona Ashley McTavish Reminiscence Worker Off to seek fortune and fame in the world of drama

4. new faces welcome to Naomi O Kelly Storytelling Trainer Naomi joined us in August to work with young people to help them shape and share their stories Laura Bradshaw Storyteller Laura joined the team on a contract basis in October and later in January was successful in securing the post on a permanent basis hello and goodbye to Robyn Nicoll our student this year, she worked on a short printmaking project with some local 12-15 year olds. Oops we forgot to take a picture of Robyn – we need a touch of the David Bailey’s here - and of course camera shy Babs our very own domestic goddess - cleaner to you and me. Claire Willoughby Pick n Mix Leader Claire joined us after the Easter break to lead our new club for children aged 7-11, offering a mix of drama, art and stories.

5. highlights this year Express - Arts for All Programme Strengthening the Voices of Young People Romans at the Castle The Classics at the Village A little bit of culture (no that should be Tosca) Environmental Festival Just a few so let’s move on and find out what’s been happening

6. express With support from Glasgow Life and funding from Glasgow City Council we embarked on our first arts programme. Along with six partners a variety of activities took place in various locations throughout the Greater Pollok, Newlands and Auldburn area, offering something for everyone, from babes in arms to the more senior members of the community scotland in europe

7. express escape to the sweet shop the pollok boogie babies always dancing who cares film project phantom life stories jewellery making classes singing for the brain wee tales drama workshops music movie project mediablast

8. health and wellbeing Our singing and story group continued this year with all our participants, leader, volunteers and service users in fine voice, belting out songs from the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s. And to top it all a wee cup of tea to lubricate those vocal chords. Party central!!!

9. health and wellbeing Led by Ashley our Life Stories groups wandered down a few memory lanes such as ‘bringing up baby’ in the 1950’s, sweeties enjoyed as a child, our first televisions, famous brands, old comic books and quizzes from the 40’s and 50’s. As always the topics sparked off lively and often amusing discussion. A great way to spend a morning or afternoon.

10. heritage & environment Our heritage & environmental work took us to far flung places this year as far away as Bearsden, Kirkintilloch, Port Glasgow and our capital city - Edinburgh -(passports required for that one). As part of East Dunbartonshire’s summer programme at the Roman Bath House, Historic Scotland at Newark Castle and Roman timelords from Glendale Primary at Edinburgh castle with Historic Glasgow for a special evening with Fiona Hyslop MSP and an audience of historical interpretation professionals Newark Castle doors open day our roman ancestors at the castle - now where did we park the tardis?

11. heritage & environment • During the month of August we held our first environmental storytelling festival. Led by a variety of arts practitioners in various locations across the city. Afestival of imaginative and inspiring storytelling events that focussed on the theme of the environment, catering for children, young people, the elderly and vulnerable or hard to reach groups. For one school in Possil it was the first time ever that the children had welcomed visitors to the school. The Hidden Gardens Public event at the centre Possilpoint

12. heritage & environment Historic Glasgow commissioned us to deliver a project in East Pollokshields. The project was developed in partnership with Glasgow Women’s Library and Pollokshield’s Health Shop and complimented a separately funded project that they were developing supporting local women to create and share their personal story walks within Pollokshields and to explore the design and architecture of East Pollokshields. The group were then supported to create a number of mono block and block printing artwork inspired by the design and architecture of the area We continue to call in on the neighbours – the Darnley’s - at Crookston Castle. What a spooky shock if they answered the door!!!

13. learning Our storytellers have been busy as ever this year delivering a varied programme of work in-house and on an outreach basis. We started the year with Joanna who sadly left us in September but hot on her heels came Laura an eager and talented storyteller. She has delivered in schools with an especially busy time in March, rolling out Wee Tales to Ferguslie Park Nursery and at Martyr’s School in Townhead, assisting Fiona with Saturday Arts before it closed and collaborating with Claire on our new Wednesday after school club Pick ‘n’ Mix. She has also braved the elements at Crookston Castle. We have had a few damp socks drying on the radiators recently!!

14. learning August saw the arrival of Naomi as our Storytelling Trainer to lead on a new and exciting year long project with young people aged 11- 18 years. The aim of the project is to teach them storytelling techniques which will help them to develop their confidence and communication skills. Naomi has worked with a variety of organisations including partner organisations such as Greater Pollok Young Carers and Plantation Productions. Some of these sessions have been group based but a number have been on a one-to-one basis. Naomi has taken great care to deliver bespoke programmes appropriate to the needs of the children involved. This has been particularly challenging work for her but she is enjoying observing the changes in the participants as the sessions progress.

15. learning Every Friday morning the Village is full to capacity with toddlers (some tiaras) and their accompanying grown ups. The ever popular Gerry Durkin continues to delight all with his rhymes and songs. And by all accounts he makes a mean diluting blackcurrant. pic of Robyn Five classes from St Vincent’s Primary in Carnwadric benefitted from a week long series of workshops delivered by storyteller Allison Galbraith and felt artist Liz Gaffney, inspiring them to create stories and felt panels about their communities and along the way helped them to have a greater intercultural understanding. Gerry also delivers a Wee Tales session for Greater Pollok Integration Network on a Friday afternoon.

16. learning And introducing our new club Pick ‘n’ Mix The new group kicked off just after the Easter break and within days it was over-subsribed. The lucky ones have been enjoying making masks and using them as props when acting out their favourite fairy stories. Now they are making musical instruments to provide a soundtrack for their stories. No it’s not Christmas just yet. Saturday Arts classes have been running for 3 years and it was felt it was time for a change. It closed it’s doors in March but just in time for the festive season the group enjoyed creating this image for The Village’s Christmas card, a great way to showcase the children’s artistic talents.

17. public events Our storytelling cafés have been full of culture this year. In February we enjoyed an evening with musicians from the RSNO playing a selection of popular classics and familiar melodies. As a follow on to this the people attending on the evening were offered the chance to purchase reduced cost tickets for a performance of Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet at the Royal Concert Hall. Then in May we had a visit from Scottish opera where we had a 20 minute taste of Puccini’s Toscacomplete with an opera singer, musicians, colourful illustrations and a storyteller to bring it all to life.

18. village celebs Some of you might be wondering what The Village’s very own celebrities have been up to. So what’s the story with the hairy yurters?The boys had a very busy summer travelling the length and breadth of the South West of Glasgow doing what hairy yurters do well – moaning!!! How Early? Put it where? but mainly getting our yurt to its destination and up in time for the storytellers to perform their magic.

19. and finally The Village staff team would like to thank everyone who makes the Village a special place Our Service Users Our Partner Organisations Our Funders Our Volunteers Our Board of Directors

20. farewell to 2011 - 2012 and hello to 2012 -2013 we hope to see you all soon