Allo o! Storytelling, crafts, drumming and Mancala workshops

Sade Fadipe, SP K-Mushambi and Margaret Omoniyi

Immerse yourself in the mesmerising music, colours and stories of amazing Africa.

Storytelling

Join Sade Fadipe for A Visit to the Grandparents – a Yoruba themed story in song

Discover SP K-Mushambi’s Zimbabwean heritage story, Tarirai’s Choice

Feel the rhythm with Margaret Omoniyi in a drumming workshop including a telling of an Asante tale from Ghana – The Leopard’s Drum by Jessica Souhami.

There will also be crafts and a Mancala workshop.

Sunday 23rd June, 12.30 – 4.00pm

Venue: Cressing Temple Barns, Witham Road, Braintree, Cressing, CM77 8PD
Tickets: Free, no booking required.

Part of Midsummer Madness Family Fun Day. Pack your picnic and make a beeline for what promises to be a magical day at Cressing Temple Barns. Free parking, free entry and lots of free activities. All welcome.

Sade Fadipe

Order a copy of A Fun ABC from bookshop.org

As a teacher, in 1996, a guest author visited Sade’s school. It was the world acclaimed Quentin Blake – and there her inspiration to one day write for children was ignited. A good twenty years later, she released her very first book A Fun ABC published by Cassava Republic Press.

Sade’s bi-cultural identity weaves through the realistic-fiction picture she creates and stories she tells. Through her books, she celebrates and introduces both African and non-African children to the music, food, culture, family bonds that Africans experience, the contemporary gender roles they exhibit and emphasises the humanity that binds us.

SP K-Mushambi (Portia)

Order a copy of Tarirai’s Choice at bookshop.org

SP K-Mushambi is happiest when she is creating. She believes that literature and media that reflect our stories, our experiences and our images are essential for inspiring self-esteem and a sense of belonging.

Portia is co-founder of NanisoCreate, which publishes the Naniso & Shinga book series and Tarirai & the Safari Five picture books.

Born in England and raised in Zimbabwe, she has had a career in banking and treasury which spans over twenty years in both the corporate and humanitarian sectors. She lives in Berkshire with her husband and their two daughters.

Margaret Omoniyi

Margaret’s greatest joy comes from helping children find their musical potential.

In 2014 Margaret set up the company Margaret’s Music Ltd to provide music teaching, projects, and workshops to schools in southeast London, Suffolk and Essex. She also supported Sade Fadipe during her DYCP project in developing Snowy Joy and the Griots as a Stage Play and being a part of the CALFE team (Children & Authors Literary Fanfare Events).

After qualifying as a primary school teacher in 1989, she stumbled upon a gem of a school of a head teacher who set her on a musical journey in schools. “He valued my musical experience and my piano playing and in my first two weeks encouraged me immediately to work with all the classes and teachers, teaching songs. I taught myself guitar and did as he had asked.”

Margaret’s passion is in setting up choirs, bands, and ensembles of all description with a mission to find those children who have desire and talent, to allow this to flourish.