Award-winning performer and author Liz Weir is among a group of storytellers who has been delivering reminiscence workshops to people living in Clanmil independent living schemes in Co Antrim. 

Ballymena-born Liz lived in Ahoghill for more than 25 years has been delivering sessions at Gloonan House in the village, while other storytellers who are part of the Armstrong Storytelling Trust along with Liz, visited Clanmil’s independent living schemes nearby, including Slemish Court and Moatview Court in Ballymena and Allen Court in Antrim.  

The last day of each workshop included an intergenerational question and answer session, with local P7 students invited to join in discussions and find out more about the lives of residents.  

Yvonne Rock, Scheme Co-Ordinator at Gloonan House, first discussed the idea for the storytelling and reminiscence workshops with her colleague Bernie Martin. Like their fellow scheme co-ordinators, they are always looking for innovative ways to help older Clanmil customers stay active and connected. Yvonne, who has trained with the Northern Ireland Reminiscence Network and is herself a keen storyteller said: 

“We used to do workshops like this before the COVID pandemic and it’s great to see them coming back. The response from the people living in our schemes has been very positive and here at Gloonan, I have seen residents really getting involved, responding to Liz’s stories and offering their own reminiscences. Having the local schoolchildren visit us on the last day is a lovely way to end the workshops and it’s a chance for the different age groups to get to know each other.” 

The workshops started in February and are continuing until mid-March.  

Liz Weir commented: 

“Storytelling isn’t just about telling tales - it’s about listening, remembering, and sharing. These workshops have been a joy to deliver, with residents lighting up as they recall their own stories and engage with the young visitors. The conversations between older residents and P7 pupils have been particularly heartwarming - it’s amazing to see how much they can learn from each other. The laughter, the memories, and the moments of connection remind us all why storytelling is such a vital part of our lives." 

May Wilson who lives in Gloonan House said: 

“The workshops are fantastic. They bring back happy memories and inspire me to write more of my poetry.”