Hundreds of story kits available to discover the history of Slough

Hundreds of story kits are being given away by HOME Slough in partnership with Slough Museum to inspire everyone’s inner storyteller.

Developed with bestselling author and storyteller Venessa Taylor, each story kit contains a storytelling game inspired by Slough Museum’s collection and using the history of the town as creative prompts for the imagination.

The story kits let everyone tell their own tale, allowing residents to be storytellers and to share their story with the world.

The creative prompts include a woolly mammoth tusk, the William Herschel Compass, Lydia Simons as the first black female Mayor, the production of Horlicks drinks in Slough, and Chalvey’s legend of the Stab Monkey.

Venessa Taylor, author and creator of the story kits, said: “Slough has such a rich past, compelling present and bright future, all of which went into the creation of the story kit prompts.

“I think all people are storytellers and my hope is for the story kits to stimulate the imaginations of the storytellers within the community. It is these stories that will be a legacy for future generations.  Other than love, there is no stronger connection between people than storytelling.”

Throughout February, 600 story kits are being distributed across the town via Slough Libraries, Slough Museum and through HOME Slough’s pop-up stall. They will also be available online from www.homeslough.org.uk in English, Polish, Punjabi, Urdu and Tamil.

Linda Tabor-Thomas, member of HOME Slough’s Community Programming Board, said: “I believe the story kits are a great idea. The kits can be used as a thought starter or played as a game - for individuals, the family or a group, I hope they will give people a fun and easy way of sharing the stories we all have inside us.”

As well as story kits, HOME Slough is producing CAMPFIRES, a project pairing five storytellers with five community groups across the town to develop storytelling. CAMPFIRES will culminate in a public performance at The Venue at The Curve on Saturday, March 12.

Jake Orr, creative producer at HOME Slough, said: “Storytelling is an intrinsic part of what makes us human. It is one of the oldest forms of communication and we’re thrilled at HOME Slough to be working with author Venessa Taylor and Slough Museum to create the next generation of storytellers.”

The story kits are part of Once Upon A Time In Slough, a series of workshops and performances where people share stories about what makes the town a place of intrigue, imagination and importance.

For more information, visit www.homeslough.org.uk/once-upon-a-time-in-slough/