Puppets and poetry played a key part in the Fostering Network Wales’s recent storytelling event.
Telling my story, for fostered children, foster carers and sons and daughters of foster carers, was held at the National Museum of Wales in Cardiff. More than 70 adults and children, including those with special needs, attended.
Christina Willison told traditional and contemporary stories. Small World Puppet Theatre presented Merlin’s Goat in which an eight foot puppet, Merlin, makes prophecies and the Welsh and English languages were interwoven in a story featuring poetry, history and mythology.
There was a poetry
workshop, emphasising life story work, led by Phillippa Williams.
Other workshops were: artwork, led by Karen Williams of the
Fostering Network Wales; storytelling by Christine Willison and
John Row and puppetry.
It is the latest in a series of storytelling events around the UK organised by the Fostering Network and sponsored by the Roald Dahl Foundation. A similar storytelling day was held in Telford, Shropshire recently and the programme was kicked off with a highly successful event in Belfast. The programme continues at The Eden Centre in Cornwall on 12 January and concludes in Scotland.
Maria Boffey, of the Fostering Network Wales, said both adults and children enjoyed the workshops and the performances.
"Foster carers and parents said it was nice to get the children away from the computer and the television and it was promoting reading in a very subtle way. They also said it was good that the whole family could take part."
Mark (not his real name), aged 10, said he liked making puppets and telling stories about dragons. Another young enthusiast liked making book marks and drawing dragons.
The Fostering Network Wales is currently working with the University of Glamorgan to develop a storytelling guide for its members. One section will help men use storytelling to enhance their skills as foster carers and their potential as role models. The Fostering Network Wales is working to promote positive male role models and the needs of male foster carer in general.
Find out more about the Telling My Story project.
Picture by John Curry.