In January 2007 we ran a pilot project, designed to spread multi-sensory story-telling into libraries; we had no idea it would be such a huge success!

In those four weeks in the Eastern Counties, we trained more library staff to tell multi-sensory stories than in the whole of the previous year. A pdf report of the Pilot Project (0.3Mb) can be downloaded.

Seeing this amazing interest, we launched a series of regional Tours under the "Story-Go-Round" banner.

We aim to "leave a community legacy" of multi-sensory storytelling; library staff will be trained, local special schools will be paired with their libraries and story-packs will be provided.

The Tours are not the end of Story-Go-Round: we will provide ongoing resources and advice to local community organisations as they continue to offer multi-sensory storytelling.

If your library, special school or other service to school-age children with SLD/PMLD would like to be more involved in storytelling for youngsters with profound special needs, e-mail us now.

"Just to let you know that I've had six sessions with PMLD children aged between 5-13 over the summer at stay and play style sessions set up specially for them here in Rochdale. The response was absolutely brilliant, both from the staff, who are excited about the prospect of more sessions and will be looking to see if they can have Bag Books at their schools, but most importantly from the children.

"I can't remember when I've had more personally rewarding story sessions. To see the smiles and the looks of anticipation on the children's faces as the next part of the story came along was an experience not to be missed. Staff commented on how long the children stayed settled to participate in these stories, some who would not settle at all usually."

Ray Stearn
Children's Services Manager
Wheatsheaf Library
Rochdale

The Tours

The tour in Inner London was held in association with UBS. It reached 254 children and 98 library staff, with 39 sessions at 22 host libraries. A pdf report of the London Tour (0.7Mb) can be downloaded.

In Wales, we visited 32 libraries, with 514 children taking part in 79 sessions, and 128 staff in training. A pdf report of the Wales Tour (0.8Mb) can be downloaded.

The South West England tour ran in 20 libraries from Swindon to Penzance, with 177 staff trained and 349 children attending 50 sessions. A pdf report of the South West Tour (0.8Mb) can be downloaded.

The South East England tour took place in September 2008. 409 children and 129 library staff took part in 60 sessions at 25 libraries. A pdf report of the South East Tour (0.7Mb) can be downloaded.

The North East England tour began in November 2008 and reached 348 children via 55 storytelling sessions. We visited 29 libraries and trained 178 library staff. A pdf report of the North East England Tour (0.7Mb) can be downloaded.

We toured North West England in January 2009. We visited 22 libraries and ran 52 storytelling sessions for 362 children. 129 library staff were trained. A pdf report of the North West England Tour (0.4Mb) can be downloaded.

A tour of the West Midlands took place in October 2009. We organised 52 storytelling sessions involving 334 children and trained 107 library staff. A pdf report of the West Midlands Tour (0.3Mb) can be downloaded.

We are now planning the tours of the East Midlands, Scotland and Northern Ireland.