We have been amazed, humbled and inspired by the support we have had for our Sponsume campaign (if you've managed to miss the bombardment and would like to take a look at our gloriously silly video made by the gloriously talented-and-silly Chris Jones, look no further than here) and we are so very close to reaching our target £943! When we began this process we all thought that getting up to £1000.00 was rather optimistic, but oh boy have you all shown us the meaning of generosity. We love the thought that all our sponsors have invested in our project, and we hope that they will have invested more than money- we hope that when our creation sets off across the country, that you will be as proud as we.
Our rewards for our donors reflect the ideals of The Story Exchange- that the joy of a story is in the sharing. So, we have been happily putting pen to paper and writing all manner of weird and (hopefully) wonderful stories and limericks to thank our supporters. But as it is the story EXCHANGE, we have also been inviting the recipients of OUR creations to respond in kind, in anyway that they might like, to create a story for someone else. And here are a few of our favourite responses....This is Jane Mason's beautiful, lyrical response to a funny little story we wrote for her about an empty boat coming in on the morning tide...
All she could remember was the letter she'd received in strange writing.
She'd hidden it. After spending so much time reading it over and over, it was an act of self preservation. No more repetition!
Recalling the part half way down the page with the memory of wind. Of a cliff top. No, not a cliff top, somewhere down close to the sea wall steps, worn, smoothed out from the lapping and the constant tidal surf. There was a boat, was there really a boat? it would be blue, blue with a red band around it and a wooden shelf for her things. Neatly tucked away, there'd be nuggets of treasure, rocks, bits of shell, something found thats traveled miles and miles and miles.
The letter wasn't about traveling outside, it was about a freedom you could find anywhere. Maybe it was about the impossible and the possible.
Here at home, in familiar spaces, a kind of longing stirred just below the surface. Not for boats. Not for walking. Not for tourism or forest dens. Something softer, quieter, just under the surface. Where no one could see. A reaching out. A single touch over the contours of a shoulder. A tracing of a passing.
Later when it was night time. The birds were still singing. The air was cooler but the remains of the day still visible.
She thought to herself. It's all alright. There is somewhere to go. There is always somewhere to go to.
And Kevin Jones provided us with this rather charming update, after we stranded him in a log cabin in his personalised adventure story, after a mysterious lady-spy made off with his yellow plane (called IVOR).....
Having got used to my situation I have found being abandoned in a log cabin in the middle of a wood to be rather pleasant. The cabin has a very comfortable bed, a good shower, is well stocked with food, has an extensive library of books, plus a DAB radio with excellent reception of the two Radio 4's. I have found some decent walks, including one to a little lake which, I suspect, is well stocked with fish. If I can find a fishing rod somewhere in the cabin I shall try my hand at fishing. A nice fat trout for tea would be...nice.
The weather continues to be surprisingly good so I am treating my enforced stay here as a restful holiday. If I ever I start getting bored I shall look into trekking out, but for the time being, you will be pleased to hear, that I am perfectly content. Indeed, rather grateful to you for putting me into such a pleasant environment.
I suppose there is always a chance that Jackie will return with IVOR in which case leaving will be relatively easy. However, if she is coming back I don't mind if she takes her time.
Well, that's all for now, thanks again, don't forget to light your blins and grummuk your taddies, at least once a day.
Sound advice there, I think you'll agree. And also, this from one of our earliest sponsors, the wonderful Kelly Johnson, who wrote this for her mum who was just moving house....
There once was a woman called Viv
Whose memory was just like a sieve
She wrote down 'The Stables'
On hundreds of labels
' Case she forgot where she did now live!
We hope our sponsors are as happy with our offerings as we have been with theirs!
In other news, we have had a very exciting pre project meeting bringing together Sophia Clist (designer), Richard Pulman (maker) and Jemma Cholawo (our magnificent production assistant), for the very first time. We haven't done this before. We knew it would be a bit of a gamble. Luckily, we truly believe that it is already beginning to pay off, as the meeting joyfully overran and overflowed with ideas. Our dream space begins next Monday, where we shall dare to dream impossible dreams, and make a big mess with lots of STUFF.