Castlebay School is to receive a storyteller-
Writer and singer Margaret Bennett will take part in a ten session residency funded by the Scottish Book Trust.
She will work with pupils from Primary 7 to S2 in Gaelic and English. Their project will celebrate the storytelling tradition of their local community and foster links between generations.
Margaret Bennett, said: “Listening to stories has been such an important part of my own life, in teaching me not only about the wealth of tradition that became my lifelong passion, but also in shaping my career as a writer."
She added: "Barra is particularly rich in oral tradition and I’m looking forward to meeting the school pupils, to sharing stories with them and with folk in the community. Young and old, everyone has a story to tell, and you’d be amazed how much easier it is to write when we listen to the voice of a storyteller.”
English teacher, Robert Rhodes, said: “Having a writer-
"The chance to pull together stories from around the community will help pupils to form close bonds between their heritage and their burgeoning skills as writers and readers.”
Five other schools across Scotland will take part in the programme and will receive sessions carried out by an author from the Scottish Book Trust’s author database; a catalogue that includes almost 700 professional writers, poets, playwrights, illustrators, performance poets and storytellers.
Island school to receive storyteller-
13 September 2016