Banbridge residents travel around the world - virtually

Each story comes from a different country - Portugal, Poland, Japan, France and South Africa - and is being told by award winning storyteller Liz Weir MBE.

Liz is bringing the stories to life with her own special storytelling magic and is joined each evening by a guest who is also telling the story in their country’s native language. As well as the stories, young listeners are able to learn a little about each country’s culture.

The stories are aimed primarily at primary school children living in and around Clanmil’s shared neighbourhood developments - at Hawthorne Gardens in Banbridge, in Belfast, Newtownabbey and Dundrum - but are available for everyone to enjoy on Clanmil’s Facebook page each night at 7pm until September 18.

These shared neighbourhood developments have been delivered under the Northern Ireland Executive Together: Building A United Community (T:buc) strategy and the Programme for Government ‘Housing for All’ Shared Housing Programme led by the Department for Communities.

Shared neighbourhoods give people the choice of living alongside people from many backgrounds and traditions in neighbourhoods that are welcoming to all.

Ana Semedo, a Clanmil tenant and also one of the guest storytellers, has been listening in to the Facebook stories each evening with her daughter. She said: “I’ve really loved being part of this project and being able to share a traditional Portuguese bedtime story as well as something of my culture. I tell my daughter Maya this story often and it’s a firm favourite with her. I’m hoping that other children listening all over Northern Ireland enjoy it just as much as she does.”