Spooky Happenings is our annual Hallowe’en ghost storytelling event. This year it fell on 31st October.

Over 40 pupils and staff attended this event –  a record for our 10+ year history.

The Reading Zone of the library was invaded by ‘spiders’, associated cobwebs, and other appropriate decorations. NB: A number of spider decorations had been ‘liberated’. It would be nice to get them back for Spooky Happenings in future years.

A few snacks were also provided and were scoffed by attendees.

This year we welcomed Fran Flett Hollinrake, a local storyteller, to the school library. She kept everyone enthralled with the four stories she told in the 40 minutes, providing a few frights where more than one of us jumped.

 

 

The stories:

• St Magnus and the Wolves
• The Haunted Spinning Wheel
• The Crimean Widow
• The Phantom Ship.

Pupils were extremely well behaved and listened attentively despite being packed into a small

space on chairs, bean bags, and the floor. It was commented that more space was needed, and yes – it was, however the numbers attending exceeded all expectations. It will be something we will look into in another year.

Other than the space issue, evaluations were all positive:

It was the best storytelling I’ve ever seen. Loved it. RH

I was very happy with everything. MM

It was great. ZH

Fab! Would love to have something like this again. Anon

It was really good but it would have been better if there was more space. CB

I thought it was brilliant. MM

I found the stories really interesting and I really enjoyed it. ER

More snacks and room. JL     Note this is a ‘bring & share event and in this case the Librarian donated these.

Suggestion for Bob the apple. Anon

More time. Anon

Thank you to all staff and pupils who supported this event, the two S5 pupils who volunteered to help with final tweaking of decorations, and a very big thank you to Fran Flett Hollinrake who had come of the back of a successful Orkney Storytelling Festival. As suggested by her, a donation to The Orcadian Story Trust will be made for her time.

The Orcadian Story Trust / Storytelling Festival can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.