Somerset Storyfest

29/11/2023

THE WONDERFUL ST WERBURGH'S WINTER FAIR is returning this Saturday December 4th - 11am to 4pm with ...
Market stalls
Mulled wine
Music
Mirth
Magic

26/11/2023

15/11/2023

A last minute and thrilling call up to take part in the starlit Cheltenham Literature Festival, rubbing shoulders with Mary Beard, Jay Blake, Tim Peake and Andy Hamilton

They really know how to look after you!

My highlight was attending a powerful, thought-provoking, life-affirming and inspiring talk with Greta Grip and Alexandra JW who shared the private and profound content of their lives with so much candour and humour

"Exceptional storyteller! Michael captivated our family audiences with his stories infused with warmth and wonder, creating a cherished and transformative experience for kids and parents alike. We will definitely be asking him back"

Loraine Evans
Literature Festival Family and Schools Programme Manager

20/10/2023

SLEEPING WITH THE MOON
Braziers Park

Residential weekend
Friday 3rd to Sunday 5th November 2023

Meeting ourselves in Nature - with storyteller, author and podcaster Michael Loader

Includes accommodation and all meals – Pay according to income – Standard rate guarantees private room, lower rates may be sharing a twin room

This course will enable you to meet and explore the ever-present yet sometimes hidden and intangible web of the natural world – through first hand experience, observation, discussion and creative practice – to unearth new connections and reacquaint ourselves with those waiting to be rediscovered..

Feel earthed and lifted by the riches of the natural world
Find what you didn’t expect to discover
Meditate on the silence and space ‘in between’ worlds

Tread ancient paths, follow the flight of the moon, discover microscopic footprints
Venture into the dark and intrigue of the night with wonderment
Connect with the umbilical thread of nature

Attune and commune through words, art, music,
solo tasks and collaboration, sharing findings and celebrating companionship.

Over the course of 2021 Michael Loader encountered nature in new ways through sleeping out with the twelve full moons, inspiring fresh enquiry and new writing.

An opportunity to find deeper connections with nature, yourself and others through creativity, in the light and the dark of Braziers extensive grounds.

Michael has extensive experience facilitating residential and non-residential groups in personal development and the corporate world in the UK and abroad

“This was a great workshop. It was good to have the focus on fun but with a deeper aspect alongside. Michael was very motivating but also gentle and responsive to the group’s abilities to participate at varying levels” Cortijo Romero Spain

Moon raking by Gail Mason

https://www.braziers.org.uk/sleeping-with-the-moon

20/10/2023

"Thank you so much for the inspirational stories and music - the children were engaged and it encouraged them to think deeply about the situations that others may find themselves in and the struggles that people can face"

Karen St Peter’s teacher

Another very special day with our ONE TREE - Many Branches Refugee Project in St Peter's primary school in early October Portishead funded by the UKSPF grant

We worked with three year 5 classes and had an unexpected but welcome invitation to play in assembly before the whole school!

Special thanks as ever to Ali, Tahmina and Knud

20/10/2023

Another very special day with our ONE TREE - Many Branches Refugee Project in St Peter's primary school in early October Portishead funded by the UKSPF grant

We worked with three year 5 classes and had an unexpected but welcome invitation to play in assembly before the whole school!

Special thanks as ever to Ali, Tahmina and Knud

18/10/2023

I confirm that I am over the age of 18 years old and am happy for Fuller's to contact me from time to time by email about their pubs, hotels, food, drinks, events & experiences. We may also use your details to personalise your visit experiences.

18/10/2023

Half Term SPOOKY STORYTELLING

At the Windmill Inn Portishead
October 29th 3pm

"Come dressed in your best-est and most gruesome for a scare of stories MWAHAHAH!!! (but not TOO scary) with the grimace of ghostly teeth, devilish meetings (told first hand by Old Nick himself - in puppet form) and a night in the Inn with a wig that turns white with fright!

Good for 5 years+

3pm - We will have mask making arts and crafts in the Lower Deck
4pm - Spooky stories by Michael Loader
4.45pm - Prizes for the best Halloween costumes

"Michael weaves his magical stories brilliantly and has his audiences utterly rapt. Both children and adults will love his style; funny, silly, heart-warming and musical, with just the right amount of audience participation”
Living Spit

I confirm that I am over the age of 18 years old and am happy for Fuller's to contact me from time to time by email about their pubs, hotels, food, drinks, events & experiences. We may also use your details to personalise your visit experiences.

18/10/2023

Devilish Delights for Adults / Saturday 28 October / 8pm-9pm   Stroll along the creaking planks to the Bell Room for a night of ghoulish whispers that will chill your […]

18/10/2023

Half Term SPPOKY STORYTELLING for ADULTS
Leave the kids at home!!!

Clevedon PIer
Devilish Delights for Adults
Saturday 28 October 8-9pm

"Stroll along the creaking planks to the Bell Room for a night of ghoulish whispers that will chill your bones and shiver your timbers.
Local tales of plague from Bristol and a haunted Somerset inn, to the grimace of a ventriloquist’s dummy and the revenge of evil spirits from Korea"

Devilish Delights for Adults / Saturday 28 October / 8pm-9pm   Stroll along the creaking planks to the Bell Room for a night of ghoulish whispers that will chill your […]

18/10/2023

Spooky Family Tales (age 5+) / Saturday 28 October / 6pm-7pm   Come dressed in your best-est and most gruesome for a scare of stories MWAHAHAH!!! (but not TOO scary) […]

18/10/2023

Half Term SPOOKY STORYTELLING

GHOST STORIES in the BELL ROOM
On Clevedon Pier
October 28th 6-7pm for families

"The grimace of ghostly teeth, devilish meetings and a night in the Inn with a wig that turns white with fright!
Told with relish and wonderment by storyteller Michael Loader who’s been ‘haunting’ the Pier for years with tall tales and scintillating stories

Spooky Family Tales (age 5+) / Saturday 28 October / 6pm-7pm   Come dressed in your best-est and most gruesome for a scare of stories MWAHAHAH!!! (but not TOO scary) […]

18/10/2023

Come dressed in your best-est and most gruesome for a scare of stories, in Michael Loader's Spooky Tales this October half-term.

18/10/2023

Half Term SPOOKY STORYTELLING

FIRESIDE STORIES
October 26th 430-630pm

With Radstock Library & Community Hub
The Orchard - behind Church Street cart park BA3 3QG

"Be prepared to jump and shiver!!!"

18/10/2023

Half Term Family STORYTELLING & MUSIC
With Michael Loader and Fiona Barrow

St George's concert hall Bristol
October 25th 1030am

https://www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk/whats-on/wild-words-presents-a-little-bird-told-me/

18/10/2023

HALF TERM SPOOKY STORYTELLING
With Michael Loader

BISHOP'S PALACE 24th October 11am & 130pm

Come dressed in your best-est and most gruesome for a scare of stories, in Michael Loader's Spooky Tales this October half-term.

16/10/2023

Storyteller Michael Loader had a inspiring weekend at the Cheltenham Lit Fest - a last minute call up due to the unforeseen!

Deluxe hotel - inspiring speakers - contemporary art (check out bottom right of photo) - wonderful venue

Rubbing shoulders with Jay Blades Tim Peake Mary Beard Andy Hamilton and the Gruffalo

14/10/2023

SPOOKY STORIES, PUPPET MAKING, DRAMA and POETRY for Families at The Note Warehouse Yatton with Michael Loader on Saturday October 21st 2-330pm
All info from [email protected]

14/10/2023

Always looking forward to telling a story at this FABULOUS FAMILY FUN EVENT at Boiling Wells organised by St Werburghs City Farm

Saturday September 23rd 12-7pm

14/10/2023

SPOOKY STORIES and PUPPET MAKING at The Note Warehouse Yatton with Michael Loader on Saturday October 21st 2-330pm

All info from [email protected]

12/10/2023

HARKING BACK to a glorious day in August with ACTION FOR CONSERVATION ... at GROW WILDER in Frenchay, Bristol with a group of active minds setting their sights on a stretch of land - formerly Bristol's Market garden - and its potential use for the future

Storyteller Michael Loader told a story of wild land, untouched land, "land stepped on by boots", cultivated land, built on land - and a stretch of land that was still wild ...

Here's the groups' feedback ...

"The storytelling session was very enjoyable and provided me with an interesting perspective. It was a good opportunity to discuss the importance of protecting the environment and the roles all people play in this."

"The storytelling was engaging and impactful and was well suited to the morals of the group. I think some people were a bit uncomfortable with the singing at first, but it made the story more fable-like and ended up being really fun and memorable."

"The group had a go at retelling your story and singing the song so it clearly made a wonderful impact on the group and I could tell that it really enriched understandings of their place in the project"

The photographs speak for themselves ... a cornucopia of fruitfulness

20/09/2023

A special morning with Michael Loader and the residents of POETS MEWS in Clevedon with Poetry - Storytelling - Discussion - Song - Music - and Guessing the weight of the super heavyweight courgette!

With our two sets of scales it came in at 2 pounds 12 ounces
Edwin, a keen gardener was the closest only 4 ounces out!

29/08/2023

Storyteller Michael Loader took the family audience at the AMNESTY ANNUAL PARTY in the wonderful grounds of Goldney Gardens Bristol into the ancient tale of PERSEUS

MEDUSA with her fiendish snakey locks appeared from behind one of the trees
PERSEUS - a 4 inch toy model - disappeared in a moment of panic
and KING ACRISIUS finally got knocked on the head by a flying saucer aka a discus at the ancient Greek games

"It is always a pleasure to welcome Michael to our annual garden party. His wonderful storytelling involving various props, acting, music and speech was a delight to a large captive audience of children and adults. Very entertaining and not to be missed."

Dave Chairperson of Amnesty International Bristol Group

28/08/2023

THE LAST FULL MOON took place on Clevedon Pier on August 3rd

Thanks to all who have supported Michael Loader's 12 full moon stories and associated workshops over the past year

August told the story of an overnight adventure walking to the Valley of Rocks in Devon which was accompanied by Gail Mason's printmaking workshop which people dived into with relish and much excitement

"I love listening to stories, last night, I was familiar with where it took place. I’d like more adult story/ spoken word"

"The printmaking was huge fun"

"The venue is great"

"Gail's paintings in the exhibition were an added interest. And so much more in the. flesh, I’d seen images of them, but that doesn’t do them justice."

28/08/2023

When the Animals Leave this Place
BY ALLISON ADELLE HEDGE COKE

Underneath ice caps, once glacial peaks
deer, elk, v***n begin to ascend.
Free creatures camouflaged as
waves and waves receding far

from plains pulling

upward slopes and faraway snow dusted mountains.
On spotted and clear cut hills robbed of fir,
high above wheat tapestried valleys, flood plains
up where headwaters reside.

Droplets pound, listen.

Hoofed and pawed mammals
pawing and hoofing themselves up, up.
Along rivers dammed by chocolate beavers,
trailed by salamanders—mud puppies.

Plunging through currents,
above concrete and steel man-made barriers

these populations of plains, prairies, forests flee
in such frenzy, popping splash dance,
pillaging cattail zones, lashing lily pads—
the breath of life in muddy ponds, still lakes.

Liquid beads slide on windshield glass

along cracked and shattered pane,
spider-like with webs and prisms.
“Look, there, the rainbow
touched the ground both ends down!”

Full arch seven colors showered, heed
what Indigenous know, why long ago,
they said no one belongs here, surrounding them,
that this land was meant to be wet with waters of nearby
not fertile to crops and domestic graze.

The old ones said,

“When the animals leave this place
the waters will come again.
This power is beyond the strength of man.
The river will return with its greatest force.”

No one can stop her.
She was meant to be this way.
Snakes in honor, do not intrude.

The rainbow tied with red and green like
that on petal rose, though only momentarily.
Colors disappear like print photographs fade.
They mix with charcoal surrounding.

A flurry of fowl follow

like strands, maidenhair falls,
from blackened clouds above
swarming inward
covering the basin and raising sky.

Darkness hangs over

the hills appear as black water crests,
blackness varying shades.
The sun is somewhere farther than the farthest ridge .
Main gravel crossroads and back back roads

slicken to mud, clay.
Turtles creep along rising banks, snapping jowls.

Frogs chug throaty songs.
The frogs only part of immense choir
heralding the downpour, the falling oceans.
Over the train trestle, suspension bridge with

current so slick everything slides off in sheets.

Among rotten stumps in black bass ponds,
somewhere catfish reel in fins and crawl,
walking whiskers to higher waters.
Waters above, below

the choir calling it forth.

Brightly plumed jays and dull brown-headed cowbirds
fly as if hung in one place like pinwheels.
They dance toward the rain crest,
the approaching storm

beckoning, inviting, summoning.

A single sparrow sings the stroke of rain
past the strength of sunlight.
The frog chorus sings refrain,
melody drumming thunder,

evoked by beasts and water creatures wanting their homes.
Wanting to return to clearings and streams where ash, or
white birch woods rise, tower over,
quaking aspen stand against
storm shown veils—sheeting rains crossing

pasture, meadow, hills, mountain.
Sounds erupt.
Gathering clouds converge, push,
pull, push, pull forcing lightning

back and forth shaping
windy, sculptured swans, mallard ducks, and giants
from stratocumulus media.
As if they are a living cloud chamber,
As if they exist only in the heavens.

Air swells with dampness.
It has begun.

28/08/2023

The Song of the Smoke
BY W.E.B. DU BOIS

I am the Smoke King
I am black!
I am swinging in the sky,
I am wringing worlds awry;
I am the thought of the throbbing mills,
I am the soul of the soul-toil kills,
Wraith of the ripple of trading rills;
Up I’m curling from the sod,
I am whirling home to God;
I am the Smoke King
I am black.

I am the Smoke King,
I am black!
I am wreathing broken hearts,
I am sheathing love’s light darts;
Inspiration of iron times
Wedding the toil of toiling climes,
Shedding the blood of bloodless crimes—
Lurid lowering ’mid the blue,
Torrid towering toward the true,
I am the Smoke King,
I am black.

I am the Smoke King,
I am black!
I am darkening with song,
I am hearkening to wrong!
I will be black as blackness can—
The blacker the mantle, the mightier the man!
For blackness was ancient ere whiteness began.
I am daubing God in night,
I am swabbing Hell in white:
I am the Smoke King
I am black.

I am the Smoke King
I am black!
I am cursing ruddy morn,
I am hearsing hearts unborn:
Souls unto me are as stars in a night,
I whiten my black men—I blacken my white!
What’s the hue of a hide to a man in his might?
Hail! great, gritty, grimy hands—
Sweet Christ, pity toiling lands!
I am the Smoke King
I am black.

W. E. B. Du Bois, writer best known for his 1903 The Souls of Black Folk and other works of theory and social critique on the "problem of the color line," as he famously phrased it, died on this day in 1963.

22/08/2023

Michael Loader will be performing stories inspired by FLIGHT with WILD WORDS from their new family show 'A LITTLE BIRD TOLD ME' with the wonderful musician Fiona Barrow

Saturday August 26 215pm
St Stephen's Avenue BS1 1EQ
OLD CITY SOUNDS - Free event

A LIttle Bird Told Me will be at St George's Bristol on October 25 https://www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk/whats-on/wild-words-presents-a-little-bird-told-me/

15/08/2023

A WONDERFUL DAY at Batsford Arboretum

Telling Stories - Singing Songs - Chasing Insects

“Michael's storytelling was captivating and engaging. The children were thoroughly entertained! The bug hunting activity at the end was a fantastic addition to the experience”