Author: HFTauth05

Hillfoots Tales is proud to present our 2024 Storytelling Festival, Wild Hillfoots:  Bridges Between.

A programme of four events held in various venues in Alloa in the month of October.

Saturday, 19th October, 2.00pm -4.00pm

Hawkhill Community Centre, 132 Hillcrest Dr, Alloa FK10 1SB

“Bridges Between Wellness and Art”.

A fun workshop where we use storytelling techniques to promote wellbeing, improve understanding and build confidence in a relaxed setting.

Accessible

Tea, coffee and cake

Tickets £13.50

Available via Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1011214739507?aff=oddtdtcreator

Friday, 25th October 7.00pm -9.00pm

Dunmar House Hotel, Dunmar, Alloa FK10 2EN

“Bridges Between Communities”

Local storytellers Eleanor Bell, Caroline Carmichael, Joanne Dowd, Tania Dron, Heather Kirby and our international guest, Jeeva Raghunath will entertain you with traditional and world tales in a cosy setting.

Accessible

Tea and coffee provided

Tickets £9.50

Available via Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1011192954347?aff=oddtdtcreator

Saturday, 26th October, 2.00pm – 4.00pm

Alloa Tower, Alloa Park, Alloa FK10 1PP

“Bridges Between This World and the Next”.

In partnership with Alloa Tower’s Halloween event, Joanne Dowd and Eleanor Bell will be on hand to tell spooky stories suitable for children and families.

Free with ticket to the Tower’s Halloween afternoon.

Available via Alloa Tower booking office 01259 211701

Wednesday, 30th October, 7.00pm – 9.00pm

Alloa Tower, Alloa Park, Alloa FK10 1PP

“Bridges Between Past and Present”.

An entertaining evening of storytelling where you will hear local and Scottish tales, in an impressive and historic setting. Eleanor Bell, Sue Bytheway, Joanne Dowd, Tania Dron, Heather Kirby and Gail Watson. We will also be featuring Our Guest Singer, Sheila Menzies

This event takes place in the Great Hall of Alloa Tower and requires access by a spiral staircase.

Due to the historic nature of the building no food and drink allowed.

Tickets £7.50

Available via Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1011199193007?aff=oddtdtcreator

This event is now sold out.

 

Watch this space for further updates.  Our souvenir brochure is also available.

A fabulous time was had telling scary stories at Clackmannan Development Trust’s Halloween 🎃 event.

“What better way to spend a Thursday morning, than meeting lovely families and sharing spooky tales,” said our storyteller Joanne Dowd.

There was a great atmosphere with the fantastic Halloween 👻 decorations and a good turnout.

“Thanks for coming and sharing stories full of entertaining storylines and characters. It’s amazing how you remember everything!” said Sandeep Dariwal, CDT.

We hope everyone enjoyed it as much as we did.

Our second session in October had as its theme “Cold and Wintry Weather”.

As usual, it was well attended by our storytellers.

The evening began with a Halloween themed quiz.  The result was a close call, with only one point between the teams.

We also shared memories of our own experiences of cold and wintry weather, including those of the “Beast from the East”.

We wre entertained by the tales “A Cold Day and the Porridge Pot”, “Old Mary of Ollisdal”, “Herman, Saxie and the Mermaid”, “Mallie and the Trow” and a poem, “Someone” by Walter de la Mer.

Our next storytelling session has the theme of “Cold and Wintry Weather” – very apt after the few frosty mornings we’ve had recently.

Come and join us in the welcoming and cosy environs of our usual venue, the Woolpack Inn, Tillicoultry, for an evening of tales from near and far, told by our very own storytellers.  Perhaps you’d like to tell your own tale?  Or just feel free to come along and listen.

It’s an evening sure to warm the cockles and soothe the soul.

Hillfoots Tales is delighted to be part of the Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2024 – Bridges Between.

Check our Events page for details.

Our souvenir brochure is available now.

If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact us: hillfootstales@gmail.com

Our first storytelling session of September had as its themes “Autumn” and “Samhain”.  Samhain is the Gaelic festival celebrating the end of harvest.

The evening was well attended with regular members sharing their tales.

We began with a warm-up exercise to get out imaginations working.  We told anecdotes of our own memories of autumn past.  Many a memory was shared of conkers, kicking in the leaves and playing outside “until the street lights come on”.

We heard the myth of Persephone in the Underworld, The Bees and the White Hare, The Witch’s Granddaughter, Bartimeus and the Woodcutter and The Truth About Autumn.  We were also treated to a recital of a Ted Hughes poem, Leaves.

Yet again, all enjoyed an enjoyable and uplifting evening which lifted spirits and gave much food for thought.

Our next regular storytelling session will be held in our usual venue, the Woolpack Inn, Tillicoultry on Wednesday, 18th September, 7.30 – 9.30.

Join us for a selection of tales on the themes of “Autumn” and “Growing”.  Come along to listen or perhaps tell your own tale!

Our first storytelling session in September will have the fitting theme of “Autumn”.

A warm welcome awaits in our usual venue of the Woolpack Inn, Tillicoultry, 7.30pm – 9.30pm.

Join us for tales about the season of mellow fruitfulness as the nights draw in.

Our regular twice monthly session in the cosy environs of the Woolpack, Tillicoultry, featured stories with an international theme.

Firstly, we listened to a tale from Russia, “Baba Yaga and the Very Good Girl”, in which the titular very good girl outwits her stepmother and her stepmother’s sister, the fearsome Baba Yaga, with the help of a little mouse.

Our second offering of the evening was a legend from the African Endebele tribe, “Why the Painted Dog Hunts”.

Next, we listened to a Japanese tale, “Taro the Fisherman” in which Taro helps a turtle who in turn invites him to her underwater realm.  Taro has a wonderful time, but after awhile, he wants to return to his home… but what will await him there?

The forth tale was from South Africa, “Abiyoyo”.  A young, mischievous and curious boy causes great distress to his neighbour when he uses something he is not supposed to, but later saves the day by his wit and cunning… using the self-same thing he is not supposed to use!

The last story we listened to was from Ancient Egyptian times, “The Girl With the Rose Red Sandals”. This is the oldest surviving written example of the Cinderella story, attributed to a Greek, Strabo, from around 1BCE.

Once again, an enjoyable and informative evening was had by all on a wet and windy Wednesday.

 

Our next storytelling session will be in our usual venue of the Woolpack Inn, Tillicoultry, on Wednesday, 21st August 2024, 7.30 – 9.30.

Our theme for this evening is, “International Tales”.

So come along and join us  to hear tales from other countries and cultures, and perhaps tell your own tale.  Or just come and listen.

All are welcome!