Milton Keynes pupils live happily ever after at Woburn Downs virtual storytelling event
In celebration of National Storytelling Week (30th January – 5th February), stories were brought to life for pupils at Water Hall Primary School thanks to a virtual storytelling event organised by Barratt and David Wilson Homes.
In light of the pandemic and, at a time when many school pupils want a personalised experience, Barratt and David Wilson Homes has transformed its usual storytelling event into a virtual event so that children can still enjoy the stories.
The school is based near Barratt and David Wilson Homes’ Woburn Downs development, and the event is another part of the developer’s outreach to the local community.
The pupils were invited to the storytelling session for a morning of magical storytelling, hosted on Zoom by experienced storyteller Richard York, who created a tailored experience for classes in Year 1 and Year 2.
Richard is a traditional storyteller, multi-instrumental musician and composer who brings stories to life at many events, schools, museums and heritage sites across a wide range of counties.
Richard said: “It was a delight to work with this school to celebrate National Storytelling Week. Traditional storytelling can give so much to people of all ages, as well as children and these days it’s more important than ever.
“Their responses show how much the magic of these stories, often passed down over many hundreds of years, can still come through despite the limitations of having to work online rather than the shared experience of being in the room together.
“Thank you to Barratt and David Wilson Homes for providing this opportunity, and to the school for being so cooperative.”
National Storytelling Week, an annual event organised by the Society for Storytelling, is celebrated by people of all ages and aims to keep stories new and old alive.
Adele Howson, Deputy Head Teacher at Water Hall Primary School, said: “The children really enjoyed the engaging storytelling sessions with Richard. We had truly captivated audiences across the school. Thank you to Barratt and David Wilson Homes for enriching our school’s National Storytelling Week celebrations.”
The children experienced first-hand how oral storytelling has allowed stories to survive and evolve over thousands of years, and across continents.
Alison Raine, Sales Director at Barratt and David Wilson Homes Northampton, said: “It was a pleasure to invite pupils from Water Hall Primary School to join us for a storytelling morning and Richard’s stories really enchanted the children which was great to see.
“Events such as these give us the opportunity to make a difference in the communities in which we build and encourage skills such as reading, writing, listening and creativity.”
More information about Richard’s work can be found at: http://www.taleteller.co.uk/
For more information about Barratt and David Wilson Homes’ Woburn Downs development, please visit https://www.barratthomes.co.uk/new-homes/dev000415-woburn-downs/ or https://www.dwh.co.uk/new-homes/dev001660-woburn-downs/ or call the sales team on 033 3355 8481 or 033 3355 8482.