Saltwells Bluebells | 📸 Jack Williams

Stories of Place Co-creators 🐜

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.

Clare K (Wych Elms)

Role: Stories of Place first-timer 🌱

Deb McDonald (Nettle and Wild Garlic) 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, storytelling

Dionne Williams (African Migrant Butterfly) 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, storytelling

Hayley Frances (Dragonfly) is a poet who cultivates a practice of geopoetry, an approach that explores the relationship between places, landscapes, and human experience.

Role: Stories of Place first-timer 🌱

Holly Doron‘s (Black Cat) 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: Invitation and welcome, space care, storytelling

Jack Williams (Black Labrador) 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, storytelling

Jo Orchard-Webb (Brown Long Eared Bat) brings Nature perspectives and curiosities from Eric-the-dog walks along with their deep care for Dudley. Jo has a talent for absorbing and connecting everybody’s ideas with wider ecosystems and knowledge networks.

Role: Space care, storytelling

Kumiko Ohashi (Mining Bees and Cherry Trees)

Role: Stories of Place first-timer 🌱

Laura Onions (Grass) 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, storytelling

Les (Bluebell) is our friend from Friends of Saltwells Nature Reserve.

Role: Place host, Stories of Place first-timer 🌱*, archive gifting*

Lorna Prescott (Chiffchaffs) brings years of lessons from doing in Dudley alongside deep thinking around systemic issues behind our everyday interactions. Lorna is full of curiosity and wonder around anything more-than-human and deep time.

Role: Space care

Luke Hudson (Caterpillar) brings their fascination and knowledges around green living, Nature and psychology, alongside their curiosity and laughter, diving into and co-evolving whatever unexpected activities co-creators are dreaming up.

Role: Space care, storytelling, archive gifting

Marion (Blue Tit) is our friend from Friends of Saltwells Nature Reserve.

Role: Place host, Stories of Place first-timer 🌱