Homebuilder helps storybooks come to life for Newbury pupils
In celebration of National Storytelling Week (30th January to 5th February), stories were brought to life for pupils at Fir Tree School in Newbury, thanks to an event organised by David Wilson Homes.
Groups of Year 1 and 2 schoolchildren were recently able to attend a morning of magical storytelling hosted by professional storyteller Amanda Kane-Smith.
Amanda created a tailored experience for the young pupils, who enjoyed interactive sessions bringing to life the traditional stories of Little Red Riding Hood, The Three Little Pigs and The Meadow in the Middle.
Developer David Wilson Homes – which is building new homes at Newbury Racecourse and Donnington Heights – funded the event in celebration of the nationally-recognised storytelling week, which takes place annually and aims to keep new and old stories alive.
Amanda Kane-Smith of Merry-go-Round Storytelling, said: “It was a joy to work with Fir Tree School to celebrate National Storytelling Week.
“Oral storytelling is a wonderful way to ignite children’s imaginations and to encourage a love of reading and stories. The children were brilliant, so engaged and full of laughter and smiles. I always love how storytelling can take us away from the real world and into a place where magic can happen and these days, that’s more important than ever.
“Thank you to David Wilson Homes for organising the event and to Fir Tree School for having me!”
Lindsay Wood, Associate Headteacher at Fir Tree School, said: “Key Stage 1 children were enthralled by their session with Amanda. They enjoyed every moment of her wonderful storytelling in which she brought the stories of Red Riding Hood and more to life in a lively and engaging way.
“A huge thank you to David Wilson Home for providing this wonderful experience for Fir Tree pupils as part of National Storytelling Week and celebrating the enjoyment of reading for pleasure.”
The children experienced first-hand how oral storytelling has allowed stories to survive and evolve over thousands of years, and across continents.
Campbell Gregg, Managing Director at David Wilson Homes Southern, said: “It was a real pleasure to be able to invite pupils from Fir Tree School to experience a morning of classic storytelling.
“Events such as these give us the opportunity to make a difference in the communities in which we build, and provide local children with opportunities to enhance key skills such as reading, writing, listening and creativity.”
For more information on Merry-go-Round Storytelling, visit https://www.merry-go-roundstorytelling.co.uk/.
For more information about David Wilson Homes’ developments in Newbury, please call the sales team on 033 3355 8487 or visit www.dwh.co.uk.
