Swindon Story Shed aims to bring the bookshop experience to under-served areas, with a focus on community, literacy, and accessibility.
Our workshops provide opportunities for storytelling and using own voices through art, sound, creative writing, and drama.
All profits from secondhand book sales go towards providing resources for our workshops, including free spaces so no one will ever be excluded based on their finances.
We have now outgrown our current space (which was once our living room, those were the days!) and renting a unit would mean we'd be able to offer more workshops, tailored support, and a comfy bookshop space to hang out in!
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Swindon Story Shed launched in March 2024, as a small independent business, and since then we have:
- Operated a travelling bookshop in community spaces across Swindon.
- Given away over 800 books for all ages, absolutely free!
- Provided workshops in art, sound, and creative writing.
- Identified areas of high literacy need with the help of the National Literacy Trust Swindon.
- Sponsored Parker's Books for their very successful hide-a-story campaign over the summer.
- Donated prizes to local schools and community groups for summer fete activities.
- Provided children's half-term art and story-making activities in the Swindon Designer Outlet Village.
- Worked with Swindon Libraries to deliver Manga workshops, Puppet Making sessions, and PaintFest fun!
- Worked with several local Parish Councils to deliver more free workshops in venues across Swindon, which will continue into the new year.
- Visited a retirement village to develop a collective biography project.
- Organised a successful author event with children's author and library patron Steve Antony, in Freshbrook Community Centre.
- Delivered a very colourful bookstall at Swindon & Wiltshire Pride 2024, with free Rainbowsaurus themed activities, and then again at Pride in Gloucestershire 2024.
- Delivered free art and storymaking activities in The Brunel Centre during October Half Term and Winter Weekends.
- Launched The BloodShed, Swindon's first ever crime fiction writing festival, featuring published crime authors from across the UK giving panel interviews and delivering writing workshops to all attendees.
- Run a successful monthly pop-up bookshop in Freshbrook Community Centre, with free activities.
- Delivered a free weekly adult creative writing session in Central Library Swindon.
- Supported local authors and other small businesses.
- Developed 'The Book Bar', which can be hired for any kind of event.
- Become members of The Booksellers Association.
- Met so many wonderful and inspiring people!