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Walking Stories with our community
We introduced Walking Stories to further reach out to our community digitally and in a COVID-secure way. The project invited local people to write stories about where they live. Each story was recorded by a professional actor, with an original soundtrack created by Sound Designer David Lewington, to transform their story into a beautifully crafted audio-guided story, downloadable and free for all from our website. Walking Stories was also shared widely on social media platforms and featured on local media including BBC Radio Suffolk, within local press and magazines, and is featured as a town trail on the Our Bury St Edmunds Business Improvement District’s app, Loyal Free.
Four of the ten writers came through Act Your Age and Community Company programmes. We hosted donor events around Walking Stories during lockdowns. This allowed us to continue to engage with our Patrons and sponsors in a socially-distanced way.
Hopes, dreams and legends – Newmarket
Written by:
Keith Hoddy
Read by:
Terry Molloy
Join Fred as he weaves us through the streets of Newmarket and takes us to the races! Watch out for the horses crossing.
Terry Molloy is a prolific British actor who has worked continuously on Radio, TV, Film, and Stage, over the past 50+ years. Terry is perhaps best known as Mike Tucker in The Archers and Davros, Creator of The Daleks, in Doctor Who.
Cavendish Hall – Thurston
Written by:
Diane Richardson
Read by:
Penelope Rawlins
Cavendish Hall was meant to be a home. and to some of the people in Thurston, it is. though back before it was given to the village, it belonged to Mary Cavendish and her husband. Her husband who took a trip aboard the Titanic…
Penelope has over 20 years experience as a voice artist/actress in all genres. Nominated by Audible for Narrator of the Year, Penelope has voiced over 200 audiobooks. Favourite titles include: Gorillas in the Mist, The Turn of the Screw, Hattie B Magical Vet children’s series and The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory.
A walk through Hessett
Written by:
Ellen Best
Read by:
Jennifer Matter
Here she sat on the bench every day, just hoping he would notice her. Just two people exchanging glances that led to the love of a lifetime.
Jennifer trained in acting at Middlesex University, BA Performing Arts – Drama. Her theatre credits are numerous and include Henry V, (Pop Up Globe, Auckland), Macbeth, Robin Hood (Creation Theatre).
Smells & Bells – Lavenham
Written by:
David Deacon & Annie Eddington
Read by:
Timothy Welton
Our memories are most connected to senses. That’s how a smell or a certain sound can take you back to some of your fondest memories. So, let us take you back in time with the smells and bells of Lavenham.
Tim trained at RADA and has acted in theatre, television and film. Tim has been resident director for Bill Kenwright Ltd and is currently Artistic Director of Threepin Productions. Acting Includes: Light Shining in Buckinghamshire (National Theatre) Dancing at Lughnasa (Garrick Theatre), Lark Rise to Candleford (National Tour).
Beasts – Bury St Edmunds
Written by:
Rebecca Peyton
Read by:
Rebecca Peyton
Do you remember when the cattle market used to be an actual cattle market? Life may have seemed a little simpler back then, but falling in love was just as complicated.
Rebecca appeared in Long Distance Affair for Pop-up Theatrics (NYC) and Juggerknot (Miami), and wrote The Kindness of Strangers. She has multi-roled in Much Ado About Nothing and played the Duke of York in Richard II. Rebecca performed her own critically acclaimed play, Sometimes I Laugh Like My Sister at the Edinburgh Fringe, throughout the UK, South Africa and Europe.
Moyshe Pepperman & The Crusading Riots of 1189 – Bury St Edmunds
Written by:
Robert Halliday & Robert Butterworth
Read by:
Ben Addis
All Moyshe Pepperman wanted was to live a simple life in Bury St Edmunds. Being Jewish made that difficult. Being Jewish during the Crusading Riots of 1189 made it impossible.
Ben Addis is a Welsh actor from Blaenafon. After training at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School he appeared in London’s West End, at the Royal National Theatre and with the Royal Shakespeare Company. He has worked extensively across the mediums of Film, Radio & TV as well as voicing many Audiobooks and Guides – most recently for the Queen’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace.
Catherine Buck – Bury St Edmunds
Written by:
Suzanne Simpson
Read by:
Rosanna Miles & Ben Addis
He was the man that helped abolish the slave trade. She was the woman who stood by his side. Together, they changed the world.
Rosanna trained at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. She has featured in many audio dramas including playing Dracula; Riversong and The Cat of Bubastes. She can also be heard regularly playing a plethora of characters across time and space in Doctor Who.
The Journey Home
Written by:
Heidi McEvoy-Swift
Read by:
Badria Timimi
Journey through the forests, jungles and lakes of Bury St Edmunds. Can you help the prince return home to his princess? Don’t forget your swords! You’re going to need them for the family-friendly adventure ahead.
Badria trained at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. Her theatre credits include: My Brilliant Friend (National Theatre), Othello (Shakespeare’s Globe), My Brilliant Friend (Rose Theatre Kingston). Television includes: Our Girl, Trigonometry, Carnival Row. Film includes: Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children.
Keith Hoddy, Act Your Age participant & Walking Story author
“I really enjoyed writing the Newmarket story. I walked the journey and it was great to get out and have a reason to be going out and going somewhere with a purpose. I’d already done a lot of writing with Lynn (Lynn Whitehead, Facilitator) and the online course I was part of. So, to have a reason to write something for a professional actor to perform was a new opportunity for me. I’ve done a few more since and sent them in to competitions. It’s really useful to have a deadline.
I’m in some online groups so I can get feedback from people as I go – and Lynn has been really helpful about reading through some of my stuff and giving feedback. It’s been really good, because […] I’d not written anything before I started this, now I’m writing every day.”
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