Society for Storytelling

Directors

All the Directors of the Society for Storytelling are Volunteers, generously donating many hours of their time to ensure the Society meets the needs of members and provides information and advice to non-members.

Chair: Martin Manasse from Newcastle
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Telephone Martin: 07791 513014
From 2004 to 2006 Martin served on the Board as Treasurer. Since then he has worked tirelessly as Chair, focusing the Society on developing into a nationally and internationally recognized organization.

In 1961 Martin started in repertory theatre, followed by 7 years as a Stage Manager for Sadler’s Wells Opera (now English National Opera), 3 years as Production Manager for London Festival Ballet (now English National Ballet), 6 years as Director of the Theatre at Rosehill in Cumbria and 9 years as Chief Executive of Northern Sinfonia in Newcastle.

Martin is passionate about storytelling and its power to transform lives.

Administrator and Newsletter editor: Tina Bilbé from Berkshire
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Telephone Tina:0118 935 1381
Tina joined the Board in 1994 and has worked on or with the Board ever since. She has a wealth of background information and puts that knowledge to good use when answering questions from people contacting the Society.

As in any art-form there are conflicts: what is good storytelling practice, what defines a professional storyteller, and of course what should the SfS be doing to promote storytelling. Tina tries to steer the middle ground between conflicting interests and opinions.

Tina’s background is in libraries and she currently works as the school librarian in a girls’ secondary school.

Education Officer: Rona Barbour from Cheshire
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Telephone Rona: 07817681719
Rona’s work as a Professional Storyteller covers many areas, but she specialises in working with excluded children in referral units.
Joining the Board in 2004 Rona is working on putting together an Education Project to highlight the benefits of storytelling in schools.

Director: Clive Hopwood from Powys, Wales
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I fell in love with storytelling almost 20 years ago, having been introduced to its magical world by Eric Maddern, and have been passionate about its use in all my work ever since.

I am a 57 year old writer/storyteller/editor/director with a background in publishing, theatre, community arts and oral storytelling.  Over the last 30 years I’ve written over 100 books mostly for children, had more than 20 plays performed, edited a large number of books and magazines, told countless oral stories, organised arts festivals, started theatre and writers’ groups and reminiscence projects, directed stage plays, produced video and audio works, given talks, run workshops, created exhibitions and designed a wide range of publicity material.

In recent years I have spent the greater part of my time working extensively in cross-art form projects in the community; in schools (standard, physically and mentally disabled), residential homes, community centres, prisons, museums, libraries, colleges and with adult education, theatre and writers’ groups.  I’m currently the director of the Writers in Prison Network, (which I founded in 1996) which runs the Writer in Residence in Prison Scheme for Arts Council England and the Dept of Business, Innovation & Skills.  Lord Longford Prize winner 2004.  Subject of Radio 4 documentary ‘The Goodnight Tapes’ (2005).

I have a BA(Hons) in Drama and an MA in Screenwriting.

Clive was co-opted onto the board in Summer 2009.