Our 2011 annual presentation giving a flavour of the work we carried out in that year

1. The Village Storytelling
Centre
Annual Report 2011

2. Welcome to another
year of exciting
activities
Say hello to some of
the stars we met on
the way……….
2

3. We have evaluated the way we work and
have introduced a number of services
some of which encompass the work we
have delivered in the past
Consultation and Evaluation
Employability
Equalities
Health and Wellbeing
Heritage and Environment
Learning
Public Events
Let’s take a look at what’s been

4. Consultation and
Evaluation
Team work was the
order of the day when
working with Neilston
Development Trust to
help the local
community explore a
shared vision for the
future of a local
outdoor space.
Storyteller Allison
Galbraith worked with
local school children
and older residents ,
exploring how the space
had been used in the past
and their hopes for the

5. Employability
We have worked with a
wide range of people who
have been unemployed for
a long time supporting
them to become work-
ready
Working with parents
considering going back into
the work environment
through the School Gates
initiative and the long term
unemployed. Storytelling is
a meaningful tool
encouraging people to focus
upon the positive aspects of
their life

6. Equalities
‘I’m Here Too’
In partnership with
Glasgow Association
for Mental Health,
we embarked on a
project addressing
the stigma and other
problems
experienced by
people caring for
relatives or friends
with mental health
issues

7. Health and Wellbeing
Our reminiscence
sessions have
continued this
year with lots of
interesting
subjects, not
unusual for a
church, we had
weddings
Love at first sight!!!!!! And our Singing for the
Brain project. Working with
people suffering with
dementia and their carers .
Weekly sessions of singing
and reminiscence.
‘Britain’s got talent’ eat
your heart out!!!!!!

8. Heritage and Environment
Our partnership with
Historic Scotland has
continued and has
strengthened this year with
our on-going work at
Crookston Castle but also
work with schools in
Inverclyde focussing on the
Antonine Wall and a
community project at
Newark Castle. Come and
join us on July 2nd at the
Comet Festival Port
Glasgow and in various sites
around the city for our
first environmental festival
And there’s more

9. Heritage and Environment
Historic Scotland
commissioned us to deliver
an educational project with
local schools Bellahouston
Academy and Glendale
Primary using storymaking
and storytelling to bring the
history of the Antonine Wall
alive
What a handsome chap!!!
Joanna enthused the children
with stories of Romans and
Alex Bowie our resident artist
at the time encouraged them to
make busts, the pictures of
which, were used to create
character postcards for use at
the site in the future

10. Learning
Our learning service has many Saturday Arts Drop In
strands, working with pre remains a very popular
school children, primary activity with local
schools and special events children aged 7-12, some
of whom have been
coming since these
classes started
The ever popular Wee
Tales led by Gerry
Durkin, a firm favourite This year they have
with tots and adults alikebeen creating their
own imaginary
More
town and people
again

11. Learning
Our work with schools this
year has taken a different
approach. A unique project
took us to four Glasgow
Primary schools where one
class from each school
worked with our storyteller
and felt artist Liz Brown over
a seven week period. The
children created their own
stories and feltwork. One
boy said
‚When the bell rang
everyday you were in I
would jump up and down
with excitement‛ Even
more

12. Learning
Taking it to the streets was
how we delivered our
project ‘Windows on the
World’.
In April our storyteller
Joanna and artist Fiona
Fleming braved the elements
to invite passers by to create
small windows of art
expressing what they would
like to see from their own
windows. This week long
event produced some
imaginative art and stories.
Children and adults took
part with ages ranging from
three to very, very, very
old!!!!!!

13. Public Events
We have been out and
about this year at
various galas and
festivals, some old,
some new. We pitched
up with yurt in tow, on
a wet and windy day,
at the Gourock
Highland Games in May
and will be making a
comeback at the
Greater Pollok
Integration Network
Elsewhere (in doors this
Family Fun Day at the
time) we have contributed
end of June
to the Aye Write and
Inspiration Festivals Keep watching to meet our
Village celebrities!!!!!!!!!!

14. Public Events
Our storytelling cafés
they will be here soon continue to delight our
regular audiences. This
year we have partnered
with several new
organisations, Scottish
Jo in Opera performing ‘A
full Little Bit of Figaro’, the
swing Royal Scottish National
Orchestra playing a
variety of musical
pieces, to name drop a
few. These evenings
bring young and old
together and have
introduced a budding
new talent to the world
of storytelling, local
boy Paul Chaudhry

15. Public Events
Crookston Castle continues to be
a venue for some of our public
events. In September in
collaboration with a number of
arts organisations in the South
West we held a medieval multi-
media family fun day, with court
jesters and fire eating females!!!
And in October chilling Gerry
Durkin and frightening Allison
Galbraith hosted our spooky
tales to celebrate Halloween
++++SCARY STUFF++++
Soon… we
promise

16. Changing Faces
A fond farewell to
Alex Bowie our artist
in residence up to
January – she is off
to Argentina working
as an art teacher.
Lucky Argentinian Kati Waitzmann –
children The Glasgow
Storytelling
Development
Beverley Oakman our
Officer, Kati has
Development Manager –
now taken on a
her contract came to an
new and exciting
end in March, but whilst
Storytelling
in post she developed
Fellowship
new partnerships and
services which will Good luck to you all
stand us in good stead
for the future.

17. More Changing Faces
A warm welcome Ashley McTavish -Reminiscence
to Ashley has delivered a rich mix of
programmes to delight the regular
attendees at our reminiscence
sessions. Each month her arrival is
eagerly awaited to discover what
colour her hair will be
Joanna
Fiona Rich – Artist Crawford –
Fiona continues to Student
inspire our budding Joanna has
young artists on a enjoyed
Saturday afternoon. working with
Fiona is about to our
become a Mum for the volunteers
second time. Congrats and
and good luck accompanying
Jo to various
events.

18. Celebrity Reveal
Ah you thought we had Introducing Finlay and Ian
forgotten, but in true
storytelling fashion The fabulous and talented
there needs to be a yurt builders extraodinaire.
build up of excitement
and
anticipation!!!!!!!!!!!!
And here they are………
Who needs the
HAIRY BIKERS
when the Village has
their very own
HAIRY YURTERS

19. Board of Directors
This year we have said goodbye And Welcome to
to some of our long standing
board members. Andy Mallin
A huge thank you for Claire Burgess
all the support and hard work
over the years
Clare McKinstry
Anna Thomson Emma Inglis
Anne Francis Lesley Davidson
Brian Patterson Londi Beketch
Cathie Arbuckle Lorraine Irvine
Ian Hamilton
And let’s not forget existing members
Debbie Nelson, John Mann, June Couper,
Louise Goodall
Margaret Thompson and Mary Hamilton

20. And Finally
Tbank you to all the people who make this organisation
the exciting and successful venture that it is
Our Service Users
Our Partner Organisations
Our Funders
Our Volunteers
Our Board of Directors
Our Staff
It’s all about
TEAM WORK

21. Au Revoir
And See You
Next Year