New Family Story Trail unveiled in Byker

Unfolding Theatre, in partnership with Barnardo's Community Family Hub East at Byker Sands Centre has unveiled a new Family Story Trail that explores an invisible world filled with magical and mysterious characters.

The Byker Family Story Trail features five unique stories that have been co-created by 25 children and Unfolding Theatre. The stories are can be accessed by scanning a QR code found on colourful signs placed in five locations around Byker. Maps of the Trail will be available to pick-up at local venues or an online version can be viewed at: www.unfoldingtheatre.co.uk/byker.

The Byker Family Story Trail is part of Unfolding Theatre’s Byker Storytime Exchange project, which explores storytelling with various groups in Byker. The launch of the Family Story Trail follows on from a series of ‘Storytime on Your Doorstep’ visits that Unfolding Theatre carried out in August. Forty children and adults living in Byker and Walker received a visit from a Cosmic Storyteller and then took part in creative activities that inspired the five stories on the Story Trail.

The Byker Family Story Trail has been made possible due to funding from Arts Council England, Well Newcastle Gateshead and the Newcastle Cultural Investment Fund.

Luca Rutherford, Associate Artist for Children and Young People at Unfolding Theatre, said:

“We had so much fun visiting families to deliver our Storytime on Your Doorstep experiences. The excitement and enthusiasm of the children was wonderful. The creativity and imaginations of the children was well and truly unlocked, and this has inspired the Family Story Trail. We’re so pleased with how the Story Trail has turned out – it’s packed full of inventive and unique characters and stories created by the children. We hope the families exploring the Trail have as much fun listening to the stories as we did when making it.”

The Byker Family Story Trail launches on 25th September will be in place until mid-December. The Trail is free to access.