Hello, it has been a while! The Covid lockdown turned my world of work upside down. With schools, libraries, community festivals and theatres closed, I entered a different world, the world of Residential Care. Sharing stories and singing sea shanties ‘Eye to Eye, Mind to Mind and Heart to Heart’ dressed in full PPE was a challenge. Navigating care home politics and emotional burn out was harder. Of course, our Residents had an even harder time living in and out of that liminal lock-down world.

That and my experience since 2020 working in the dementia sector, as a Dementia Advisor on Shetland and now as the manager of a Meeting Centre, has made me a better storyteller. https://www.meetingcentres.scot

In 2024 Toby Hawks and I worked together on Raven Tales – a dementia inclusive storytelling event – that celebrates stories where the hero or the heroine may well be living with undiagnosed dementia. Over the past 2 yers we have toured this show to Dementia Meeting Centres in Scotland and we have had some lovely reviews.

“Rich stories well told, lots of wonderful images to take away and savour. Enjoyable and inspiring, well-chosen stories touching on important topics in a safe way.” Raven Tales

“It felt very accessible and easy to follow, visual storytelling as well as audible, perfect paring with the music.” Raven Tales

“The music was lovely and Jan’s storytelling is amazing. A lovely friendly event. The break in the middle was good for people to connect. The beautiful music and entrancing stories. It was entrancing (seriously) from the start.”