Venue Description

The Orkney Folklore and Storytelling Centre sits in the middle of the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Heart of Neolithic Orkney.3 miles from the Ring of Brodgar and Stenness Standing Stones and 2 miles from Skara Brae,the Stone Age Village.

It is  a Centre of Orkney Island Heritage and Folk Culture that combines Island legend,Lore and Social customs with traditional music,song and dance.

We offer evenings of Storytelling - Peatfire Tales of Orkney-Guided Heritage Town and Coastal Walks-Crofting Trails and Tales-StoryCircles Workshops and Summer Schools for children and families-Creative  Learning programmes in how to tell stories,story structures,DramaCircles and Storyplays with expressive movement and voice.

Our Power of Story summer schools,courses and workshops are for community groups as well as staff and volunteers who work in education,special education,social care and mental health.

Through the Orkney Islands' oral traditions of storytelling,ballads,sagas, rhymes and poetry share social customs and Folk heritage of the Orkney Fishing and Farming peoples.

Visit our Folk Art Studio,Hamnavoe reminiscence room,Orkney Heritage library and Storytelling Garden of Legend and Lore.

Discover Sea Legends,masks,murals and puppets of Finmen,Selkies,Stone Giants,Trowies and Hogboons.

Listen to the words and music of the 'Fishermen with Ploughs' as George MacKay Brown called these Island people.

Everyone welcome to come along and share the magic of these North Atlantic Islands at the Orkney Folklore and Storytelling Centre.

Accessibility

There are no stairs in the centre or to its entrance.It is level access throughout there is only a very slight slope (20 degrees gradient) at the entrance to the courtyard reception.The doors have been made wide enough for wheelchairs and are push doors. There is information on our website for everyone that can be adapted as we try to e-mail to each person details once they have explained what they are looking for, regardless of ability or disability

Accessible Performances

Our Folk Art Studio is used for Storytelling and Performance Folk Art Drama which are very Visual, physical and often have live music with oral,live narratives. There is a lot of mime and gesture in our work which is understood universally and I do have used sign language and worked with many people with hearing impairment and visual impairment. In our hamnavoe Reminiscence room we have CDs with the narratives and songs of the fishing and farming peoples. We are putting in a system for next year's season to enable people to sit and listen to the Reminiscence interviews and Island Tales of the Tide Storytelling CD.

Awards List

Membership with VistScotland, the Orkney Tourism Group, qualified Yellow Badge guide and member of the Scottish Tour Guide Association. A highly commended rating with TripAdvisor.

Toilets

There is a large disabled toilet with step free entrance and grab rails. The door was designed wider and toilet made bigger than were advised in order to allow any wheelchair to turn and also allow a carer access if required. We are changing the taps to easy turn for the 2015 season.

Staff

As I have had 30 years experience of working with a travelling with children, young people and adults with a very wide range of disabilities, both physically and in communication, I train any staff/and or volunteers in both social and personal communication skills and in giving physical assistance if asked.