Decision details

Folkestone StoryMap – The funds will go towards the cost of storytelling workshops in Folkestone’s 24 schools. 

Folkestone StoryMap is seven short story podcasts celebrating the town’s people, coastline, history and literary connections accessed via QR codes in the Coastal Park, aiming to inspire future storytellers and encourage children and the community to rediscover the joy of listening to and reading stories. 

The town’s museum is providing a free room to hold workshops for schools and for the rest of the community and is keen for writers to use its collections as inspiration for stories. 

We will open submission for stories from May to end of June with seven stories chosen blind by a panel of judges.  Submissions need to come from people living locally, or anyone with a strong connection to the town. 

To provide funding of £100 to the above project.

Reason for decision:

Folkestone has two wards in the top ten of the most deprived areas in Kent and low literacy rates.  It is also recognised that children stop engaging with books at aged 11.  Reading and listening to stories increases concentration, confidence, vocabulary, communication skills and empathy, leading to increased life chances. 

Excellent responses from schools so far.  St Mary’s literacy lead said ‘the StoryMap project sounds fantastic, we currently have a big push on reading and so this would fit in perfectly with our plan for the year.’ 

A teacher at the Beacon School said ‘as a teacher in an area with the most deprived sector of our community.  I believe the Folkestone StoryMap will provide children with experiences that take them outside of their normality and enable them to realise that they too can achieve in life and that their voices are important and deserve to be heard.’ 

Folkestone & Hythe District Council has written a letter of support.