A grand visit tae Faithlie Care Home in the Broch on Monday daen Doric ABCs for Doric Books
The theme this wik wis “Skweel” an we hid some grand songs an tales an blethers. We spoke aboot fit wi got intae trouble for fan wi were bairns. Aene quine got the tawse for forgettin her pencil!!
(An then it turned oot aene o the carers hid my mither as a teacher fan she wis a bairn!!)
I’m still grinning after my two #PromiseGroup visits yesterday! Both groups started with story where they could join in with describing whatever plant or tree they could imagine – then we made our first stories together using story dice!😁 #KeepThePromise #WeCareAberdeenshire
Fit a grand visit tae the residents o Overdon Care Home in Kintore wi Sheena on Tuesday! This was a session organised by Doric Books far we’ve been daen oor Doric ABCs
Active, Blethers an Community Singing!
The theme this wik wis “Hame” an we hid stories aboot a wifie fa winted a bigger hoose (an mair aifter that), Purley Wurley Puddock an a hale bunch o sangs includin Sheena’s Washin Machine sang!
(Photo fae a ghostie nicht wi did a couple o year ago – we were ower busy tae tak photos on Tuesday!)
Who fancies some spooky story telling at St Cyrus National Nature Reserve on Thursday?
This FREE session has been funded by the Scottish International Storytelling Festival’s Big Scottish Story Ripple #sisfstoryripple2025
The event runs 4.30 to 5.30 – stories suitable for all ages. We can’t wait to see all your costumes and neepie lanterns!
What a fantastic visit to Buckie on Saturday!
First we had our Story Friends story creation workshop followed by a bit of learning to use puppets and recall parts of our story for performance, then the bairns told the story to residents at Hanover Court who were a fantastic audience!
After some fine pieces, I had the chance to tell some stories (and sing a wee song with Fizzy) to the kids, parents, Story Friends, Friendship club folks and the residents as part of the #sisfstoryripple2025!
Fit fun! 
Tomorrow the pupils at my Promise Group get to see all their hard work spliced together into a film!
I’ve been hard at it editing sound, clips of shadow puppets and an introduction where the pupils used hand puppets. The whole school will get to see it too!
I was wondering what to do with their shadow puppets and asked if the school could find a space for them to go on display somewhere. I hope they like it!
#wecareaberdeenshire #KeepThePromise #ScotlandCares
Look at this suspicious bunch hanging around on a Wednesday morning… What were they up to?
Well! Seeing as you asked… They were waiting to film the introduction to my Promise Group’s story! All the pupils contributed SO well today!
– best fist bumps!
– finishing last weeks shadow puppets
– cutting out a few new shadow puppets and scenery
– drawing some magical items for the story
– recording the story introduction with the hand puppets
– starting to record the audio for our film !
In doing ALL THIS today, they showed their outstanding
– creativity
– drawing and cutting skills
– courage to speak out
– voicing of characters
– attention to detail
– ability to learn and pronounce new words
– clear and audible speech
– willingness to have fun
10/10 you lot! 
#wecareaberdeenshire#KeepThePromise#ScotlandCares
A quick shout out to the Tarland Food & Music Festival which took place at the weekend – thanks folks for having me along to tell stories again this year – I had a wonderful time!
Wee Imp took these pics (check oot ma autumn dungers) during the storytelling inside at the Pavillion. It was a bit nippy outside!
A massive thanks to the committee for having me along and to the folks at the Tarland Community Garden and the folks at the Tarland Pavillion for hosting – lovely to see so many familiar faces from previous years! 🙂
My Wednesday Promise Group have really blown me away with their designs for our shadow puppets!
Each pupil shone in a different way – creativity, attention to detail, skillful drawing, enthusiasm, great description of their ideas and confidence to go ahead and make some amazing characters !!
And the dragon… well have you ever seen such a great creation? (Assembled by me this weekend, but following precise instructions)
Can’t wait to work with them (the puppets and the pupils 😂) on Wednesday!!
#wecareaberdeenshire #KeepThePromise #ScotlandCares
It might be the weekend, but I’m busy busy busy planning upcoming projects!
First of all, I’ve been preparing my plan of action for the next 6 weeks with my Promise Group. We’re creating a story, working with hand puppets, making shadow puppets and filming it all before showing the film to their grown ups and the rest of the school at the end of the term!
I’ve also been planning ABC visits to care homes across the North East with funding Doric Books have received from Hands Up For Trad! The sessions will be based around Work, School and Home and will aa be in Doric – the Activities, the Blethers and the Community Singing. Three of the visits will be with Sheena Blackhall, so I’m really looking forward to that!
I’m delighted I’ve still got two visits to local schools funded by The Doric Board – working with the rhymes of Annie Shirer, a project thought up by Ewan McVicar – you can find out more about that here – https://annieshirerrhymes.co.uk/
And I’m chuffed to be covering three weeks of Scots Song with SC&T Youth – the songs have been chosen and the fun warm ups are being sung around the house!
I’m also planning the rest of the term’s stories and activities for the GREC Language Cafe. These are free weekly sessions for New Scots, those seeking immigrant status and abdy else learning English as a new language. Each session has a theme and there are often visitors who talk about what they do and what services they provide. My job is to tell a story and come up with ice breaker questions and activities for the Cafeistas. The cafe meets weekly (during school term time) at the Arts Centre on Thursdays between 11 and 3pm. Find out more here – https://grec.co.uk/language-support/
Oh! And the Guiding organisation in the UK has created some new interest badges for Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and Rangers. Including… the Brownies’ FOLKLORE BADGE! So I’ve had fun planning some stories and activities for that.
Aye, I’ve been a busy quine!
Pauline Cordiner - Scottish Storyteller 