Our Stories storytelling tour to stop in Scarborough and Filey as part of Big Ideas By The Sea

The sessions hope to improve attitudes towards reading for pleasure and support the wellbeing of children in Eastfield, Scarborough and Filey.

Families are invited to head down to Filey Library, Westway Open Arms and Scarborough Castle on Saturday May 13, Saturday May 20 and Sunday May 28.

There will be book gifting, story sharing inside the Big Stories Tent, writing and drawing activities, and crafts, as part of the Big Ideas By The Sea festival.

They will get the chance to hear and take home two parts of a new fantasy book The Golden Onesie of The Gods, written by best-selling author Saviour Pirotta and North Yorkshire children, if they attend more than one event.

Helen Williams, Hub Manager of Our Stories, said: “We are incredibly excited to be bringing the Big Stories Tent and storytelling sessions to families and communities across Scarborough, Eastfield and Filey.

“Research has shown us how important reading for pleasure is for the mental wellbeing of children and young people.

"The events, for Big Ideas By The Sea, is our way of bringing the benefits of reading to those who need them most and supporting children’s literacy development in a memorable, creative and accessible way!”

Big Ideas By The Sea festival, which is in its third year, brings leading speakers, thinkers and creative people from the science, arts, business, technology and environment to debate the big ideas that affect us all.

The local events are led by Our Stories, the National Literacy Trust’s hub in the region. It aims to boost reading for pleasure, increase access to books and improve the literacy skills of children across the North Yorkshire Coast.

A mission that is more important than ever as recent research shows that 1 in 10 children in Yorkshire and the Humber say they don’t have a book of their own at home.

On the Saturday, actress and children’s author Terenia Edwards is kicking off the events with an interactive storytelling session at Filey Library. Families will get an exclusive reading and session centred around part one of The Golden Onesie of The Gods short story.

Scarborough-born actress and singer Shannon Rewcroft will also be diving into a world of Greek mythology and fantasy lands with a storytelling workshop based on part two of The Golden Onesie of The Gods, at Westway Open Arms in Eastfield on Saturday May 20.

Best-selling author Saviour Pirotta will be hosting the final session at Scarborough Castle on Sunday May 28. Families attending this session will get free admission to the castle and the chance to create their own Roman horse toy with Scarborough Museum and Galleries.

Throughout the events, children and families will get a free copy of The Golden Onesie of The Gods, magazines, a storytelling session inside the Big Stories Tent, access to a mobile library and lots of creative writing and drawing activities suitable for ages zero to 11.