Everyone who joins Stories of Place is a co-creator. At the beginning of each gathering we choose a natural companion (or more-than-human kin) to have in our minds throughout the evening.
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Deb McDonald (Dragonfly) is a network weaver, bringing knowledges and curiosities from Ekho Collective, and is particularly curious about how people can collectively engage with creativity, culture and heritage to co-create resilient communities.
Role: Space care
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Dionne Williams is a deep thinker and doer drawn to creativity and experimentation. Dionne has a gift for nurturing welcoming, safe and generous spaces, currently exploring how East African values might invite conversations and creativity that bring us closer to Nature-connected values in Dudley.
Role: Space care
Holly Doron‘s favourite moments are watching people spark with others over a thought or idea so they try to create the conditions for this to happen while listening, note-taking and connecting learning and curiosities.
Role: Storytelling, invitation and welcome, space care
Jack Williams (Ant) brings their wildlife conservation knowledges from Dudley Zoo and is curious about what zoos might look in the future as spaces for community, nature connectedness and wellbeing.
Role: Space care
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Laura Onions (Peacock Butterfly) has an inspiring ability to get stuck in with making, gifting their creativity and curiosity to other co-creators. Laura’s art practice is rooted in printmaking and how this can take on new forms out and about with Nature across the Black Country.
Role: Space care
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Paul Burns (Great Diving Beetle) brings invigorating perspectives and prose as a creative writer with a fascination in more-than-human folklore. Paul is generous in sharing photos and videos of their local wildlife in between gatherings and always has interesting Dudley memories to share.
Role: Space care
Rebekah Warmington (Cinnabar Moth) brings her gifts in creative making and thinking, with an extraordinary ability to weave deep reflections in the moment. Rebekah generously shares her experience in learning with and from Nature and Indigenous knowledges. She is also deeply inspired by play, and how experiential learning can enhance and guide the connections we make in our journeys of exploration and discovery.
Role: Visionary, convening, storytelling, invitation and welcome
This year we are paying attention to micro-seasons to help shape our gatherings. We take inspiration from books and what we notice when paying attention to Dudley’s micro-seasons.
March - Explore - Winterbrook and Cheetham (2025) The Rewilding Yearbook:
"...the rising energy of the year. It is now that we really begin to notice the effects of the returning light, feeling a heightened sense of possibility and often experiencing a desire to re-engage with the wider world."
11-15 March - Chiffchaffs Return - Chapman et al (2023) Nature’s Calendar 20 March - Spring Equinox (Northern Hemisphere)
We begin each gathering transitioning from our days and grounding ourselves in place with an activity that opens up our senses and connects us with Dudley.