ONE of Britain’s most esteemed storytellers, Taffy Thomas, performed in Whitehill and Bordon last week.

Taffy has become a leading advocate of Britain’s oral-storytelling tradition and is the UK’s first laureate for storytelling.

Last Friday he spent time at Bordon Junior School, working with children, before performing to a full house at The Phoenix Theatre and Arts Centre in the evening.

The events, which coincided with National Storytelling Week, were organised by town, county and district councillor Adam Carew, Bordon Junior School and The Phoenix, and were funded by Mr Carew’s district-councillor grant.

Taffy, who was awarded an MBE for his work, travelled from his base the “Storyteller’s Garden” in the Lake District to tell stories from his repertoire of more than 350 tales.

Children were invited to pick a tale from Taffy’s specially made storyteller’s coat.

“Taffy Thomas is a national treasure,” Mr Carew said. “We were so lucky to get a storyteller of Taffy’s international reputation to Whitehill and Bordon. He went down a storm with the children at the schools workshop and with families at The Phoenix Theatre that evening.

“I am very grateful to deputy head Jon Reilly and Phoenix director Rob Allerston for all their support. The joy on everyone’s faces, children and adults, as Taffy performed, said it all.”

Taffy, who taught himself the art of storytelling as speech therapy after a major stroke in his 30s, said that he had received “the warmest of welcomes in Whitehill and Bordon - from the smallest child to the town mayor himself (David Cooper)”.

He said he hoped “this visit would inspire an interest in storytelling in this warm and friendly community that will long outlive this first visit”.

Mr Carew added: “Such was the enthusiasm of residents, we were over subscribed for Taffy Thomas’ evening performance. I am confident we can now make National Storytelling Week an annual event.

“I intend to commission Taffy to work with our schools and I hope The Phoenix and Woolmer Forest Heritage Society will produce an Ancestral Voices storytelling project about the history of Whitehill and Bordon from our ancient past, through its life as a mediaeval hunting forest to the Army’s arrival and the First World War, and to our current regeneration.

“As our town grows and starts to welcome new residents, there is a need to tell our own story of how we came to be to enhance our town’s sense of our own identity and importance.”

Rob Allerston, mayoress Cynthia Cooper, Taffy Thomas, Mayor David Cooper and councillor Adam Carew are pictured. (Picture order no: BD07-56-17).