Storytellers

South West England and South Wales, Sophie Turner

Sophie is a drama and dance practitoner with a love for storytelling. She spends her time running creative workshops in a range of different settings. Stories are often at the heart of Sophie's work whether its using a traditional one or making up a new one. Sophie is also about to start training as a Drama Therapist. Sophie has been working with us since 2017.

Yorkshire & The Humber, Shuna Beckett

Since 2000, Shuna has been working as a drama and storytelling facilitator in both school and community settings, four years of which of which were spent developing performing arts projects in South America. She has a background in participatory work which aims to include and empower the most socially excluded members of our society. Shuna has been working with us since 2011.

West Midlands and North Wales, Amy Collins

Amy has loved stories all her life. After winning the Young Storyteller of the Year at 16, she apprenticed to the world-renowned traditional Scots Traveller storyteller, Duncan Williamson, and now holds many of his stories and ballads in trust. Over the past 25 years, she has been instrumental in the modern British storytelling landscape as a performer, promoter and advocate. She was a founder member of the international 'Festival at the Edge' and served two years as a Director for the Society for Storytelling. An award winning author and storyteller, Amy is passionate about the importance of stories and books for all. Amy has been working with us since 2017.

East Anglia, Marion Leeper

Based in Cambridge, Marion works as an educator and storyteller, in particular with the early years. But telling stories for Bag Books is always a highlight of her week! Marion has been working with us since 2011.

East Midlands, Chris Lowe

A professional storyteller since 1995, Chris assists teenagers with learning difficulties to express themselves. He has helped pupils with severe physical disabilities to stage a showcase on Martin Luther King at a city centre theatre in Birmingham.  Chris is well known at Storytelling and Folk Festivals from Whitby to Weston and entertains a wide variety of audiences with stories and storytelling workshops. Chris has been working with us since 2011.

London, Nina Martinez

After several years as an officer in the Metropolitan Police Force, Nina took a career break to raise her children. Once they were settled in school, Nina began a new career, working part-time for Bexley Library service as their Study Support Co-ordinator (Special Schools). Nina contacted Bag Books for help with resources and training and became so involved that she has been working with us since 2007.

North West England, Rosie Turner

Working as a volunteer in a Romanian orphanage where the children were suffering with long term illness and had very little in terms of resources and opportunities, inspired Rosie to focus on helping children who were vulnerable within society. She began to see the value of story telling to not only develop vital skills including listening, sharing, co-operation and enjoyment but also as a way of bringing the children together socially as so often they were facing things alone. Rosie is a trained counselor and trainee Life coach. She taught children with PMLD for ten years and was the National Participation Leader for YoungMinds for two years. From 2000-2007 she was an Assistant Director of a charity in London called BODY&SOUL which included managing the Children’s Centre and running social/life skills workshops to teenagers and young adults. She has also worked as a volunteer on education projects in, Rwanda, Ethiopia and Malawi using photography to capture progress and development. She is currently on a two year course to become a qualified teacher of Children with vision impairments. 

South East England, Bernard Tagliavini

Bernard is a storyteller, singer, actor and director. As a storyteller, he has worked with all age-groups, both performing and giving workshops. These have included school children, drama students, student teachers, elderly people, people with visual impairment and people with physical disabilities. He can also be found, each July, helping co-ordinate the Uckfield Festival in East Sussex, where he lives with his wife and three children. Bernard has been working with us since 2007.

Scotland, Vacancy

Without a Region, Carole Church

Carole is a performing arts teacher with 30 years experience, specialising in working with people with profound learning difficulties and those with Autism. She can also be seen and heard singing with a number of Big Bands in Kent and surrounding areas. Carole has been working with us since 2017.