Writer is special guest at Peedie Story Festival
(Story dated: Saturday, September 30, 2006)

The first ever Peedie Story Festival will take place next week, and a special visit from acclaimed Orkney author, Pearl Morrison, will mark the occasion.

The five-day event, beginning on October 4, is the first of its kind, and will include workshops, puppet shows, and storytelling for all ages.

Pearl, who signed a publishing deal last year with Harry Potter publishers, Bloomsbury, for her debut children’s book, The Wind Tamer, will give readings to school children, and a public book signing is to be held in the Orkney Library on Saturday, October 7.

Organisers of the event, assistant librarian Karen Miller, Orkney Islands Council’s cultural co-ordinator arts, Ali Gunn, and OIC’s heritage culture co-ordinator, Sheila Garson, are delighted that they have been able to compose such a varied programme, and say that Pearl’s visit is a major coup.

Karen explained: “We’re aiming it at all ages, from babies, right through to primary school children, and teenagers. We are also having a poetry workshop for adults.

“The majority of events are open to invited groups from schools mainly, although some are open to the public. We have a performance from the Purves Puppets in the Orkney Arts Theatre on Saturday, October 7, which is open to the public.”

Their desire to stage a book festival of some sort came about when Karen saw that the annual Children’s Book Week events were in need of a facelift.

She explained: “It came about because for a number of years the library has put on several events for Children’s Book Week in October.

“I felt it was getting a bit samey, and I wanted to do something different.

“I got together with Ali Gunn and Sheila Garson and we were going to put together a book festival, but as it happened, we didn’t get the funding we had hoped for.

“We decided to focus more on the story side of it for this year, and came up with a programme for five days.

“We got some funding from the Scottish Arts Council, and took it from there.”

The Peedie Story Festival kicks off on Wednesday, October 4, at the Balfour Hospital, when the Bookstart Bear and Patsy, along with Karen, will visit the maternity unit to introduce mums and babies to baby books.

The rest of Wednesday will be taken up with storytime for tots from Peedie Breeks, workshops in Orkney tales with Marita Luck for P6s and P7s, and animation and illustration at Kirkwall Grammar School.

On Thursday, October 5, author Pearl Morrison will talk to primary school classes at the Orkney Library, and the winners of the schools poetry competition will be announced.

Alison Flett will lead poetry workshops for secondary school pupils, and later the Kirkwall and Stromness writers’ groups. This event is open to the public and places are limited to 30 people, so contact the library to guarantee a place.

The Book Party Roller Disco, sponsored by The Orcadian, will take place in the Picky arena on Thursday evening for all primary school children, at 6.30pm.

On Friday, October 6, Pearl will be talking to pupils in the Stromness Library, in the morning. At the same time, babies, parents and toddlers are invited to Bounce and Rhyme with the Bookstart Bear at the Orkney Library.

Purves Puppets will be giving a show to P3s and P4s in the Orkney Arts Theatre, and later, Lesley MacLean and Lesley MacDonald will be singing and storytelling at Firth Primary School, and the Orkney Library.

On Saturday, and Sunday, all events are open to the public, and on Thursday with the Purves Puppet Show for families in the Orkney Arts Theatre at 3pm.

On Saturday, October 7, people will be invited to see Pearl, who will be signing books at the Orkney Library at 11.30am.

At 7pm, Tom Muir will be telling old Orkney stories at the fire house, at Kirbister Museum.

On the final day of the festival, families are welcome to explore stories through play, movement and dance at the Picky Centre at 10am. School animations will be shown, also at Picky, at 2pm, and then Spooky Story Walks will be taking place in Kirkwall, at 7pm at the Kirk Green.