Nine people joined a Telling Lives storytelling workshop at the 成人论坛 in Leicester. In three days they learned to tell stories, write a script and record it for 成人论坛 Radio Leicester and right here on the 成人论坛 Leicester website. The stories are short, about two minutes or 250 words. But they are also personal, powerful and revealing. The leader of the workshop, Barrie Stephenson, was very impressed with the way people from Leicester worked on their stories. "They all did their homework and returned for the second day with a near perfect script."
Click on each of the links below to listen to their short personal audio story!
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Audio and Video links on this page require Realplayer
Below is a brief biography of each of the nine contributor's, who took part in our Black History Month storytelling workshop. Halla Diyab
 | | Halla Diyab |
Halla is in Leicester studying at the University. She says her father gave her spirit to travel around the world. He was a poet, journalist and teacher of Arabic Literature. She has a lot of passion for media. Her story is about beauty and how a road accident helped to understand it better. Sally (Not her real name) Sally was a girl in Indonesia and now married to an Englishman and living in Leicester. She lived with her aunt and uncle in Indonesia. Her story is a harrowing account of sexual abuse and her escape to England. Paulo Jorge Carnoih
 | | Paulo Jorge Carnoih |
Paulo is from Angola and came to Leicester four years ago. He's a self employed artist involved in a range of cultural activities. He make jewellery, music, writes and performs poetry. He is married and his first child is due at any time. His first language is Portuguese but he is working hard on his English. For his story Poalo has create two characters, brothers about to reach the age when they will be conscripted into the Angolan Army. Both pay a price - one in war and the other in exile. Chantal
 | | Chantel |
Chantal is a young mother from Cameroon. She is studying at Leicester Adult Education College. She likes reading and loves her home city which she left 18 months ago for the UK. Her story is about working hard and how much she misses the city of Nkongsamba. Natalie Rudyj
 | | Natalie Rudyi |
Natalie is 22 and has already finished one diploma and is about to start a course in fashion and design. She hopes it will lead to University. Natalie joined the storytelling workshop to learn how to put her life story down on paper. Her story is about the adventures of childhood in the East Midlands where she has spent the whole of her life. It was perhaps prompted by her three year old daughter. Gloria Daly
 | | Gloria Daly |
Gloria describes herself as a housewife and pensioner who loves singing, dancing and drama. She likes sewing too. She's a volunteer worker and is married with children and grandchildren. As a girl she always wanted to travel - but her family didn't share her sense of adventure. Her story is about persuading them to let her leave home for England. Hazel Andrews
 | | Hazel Andrews |
Hazel was born in Antigua, West Indies. She is 65 and retired. Enjoys drama, singing and dancing. She is a member of the Sweet Pea Drama Group. She has five children who form an important part of her story. As well as all this she cares for her mother who is 89. The question posed by her story is: can an arranged marriage grow into real passionate love? Jennifer Hillhouse
 | | Jennifer Hillhouse |
Jennifer came to Leicester in 1965 when she was 11 years old. She has two children and works part time as a pub cleaner. She loves to cook, sew, and she's teaching her daughter to sew too. "I like to read to my son - I am a very happy person." A good listener, she is learning maths at college. Her story is full of laughter. It's about childhood mischief. Carmel McFinlayson
 | | Carmel McFinlayson |
Carmel, or Carmeleta to give her full name, is a retired nurse. She came to Leicester in 1956 with six brothers and sisters. She has four children of her own. A retired nurse, her hobbies are music and dancing. Her story was inspired by a pet dog owned by her parents on a trip to see them in Jamaica. Have you got a story to tell? And if you think you've got a story to tell why don't you sign up for our next storytelling workshop? You need to be free to come into the 成人论坛 Leicester open centre from the 24-27 October. If you fancy the chance of getting your story on 成人论坛 Radio Leicester and the 成人论坛 Leicester website give the action desk a call on 0116 2016644 or e-Mail joanna.bostock@bbc.co.uk. | 
