Stories Of Place

Devising appropriate stories for a particular commission is my speciality.

I have worked with the National Trust to look at how stories of place can inspire people and connect them with the natural world. This work has included:

• Tales from the Track -  devising and leading 5 National Trust storywalks at landscape sites in Wiltshire and Dorset.

• Running workshops entitled Finding the words to fit our stories as part of the Trust’s annual course for staff ‘Nature and wildlife at National Trust properties’.

• Researching and devising a story of the garden at Snowshill Manor (click on audio strip at top of page to hear an extract) and working with volunteers who now tell the story to visitors.

'Fiona accessed and worked with a considerable amount of information about Charles Wade to create a bespoke story. The brief was to communicate key facts about Snowshill Manor and Garden to a wide variety of visitors in an engaging and approachable manner. She worked with the staff team to create a story which fitted our brief, adapting it in response to feedback. Fiona then delivered training to groups of staff and volunteers in order that they could roll out the storytelling. The training covered presentation skills and storytelling techniques. A small number of volunteers were trained to lead future workshop sessions to other volunteers to ensure a lasting legacy of the project. Fiona was easy to work with, thorough and fulfilled the brief admirably. I would not hesitate to work with her again.'

Dominic Hamilton, General Manager, Snowshill Manor & Garden

I enjoy researching the local history of a place in order to create a story that, while it may be fictitious, has historical accuracy and integrity. Such stories, which combine local history and sense of place, can then be told in situ at one location or on storywalks that move through the landscape.

 “The whole course went incredibly well, and your evening was definitely one of the highlights, and the highlight for quite a number of folk.”

Matthew Oates, Nature Conservation Adviser, National Trust

Storywalks
Sunday afternoon Stories