Author in awe of Grimm and Co's 'wonderful, incredible, magical place'

Michael Rosen has been a supporter of Grimm and Co from its humble beginnings and was invited along by founder Deborah Bullivant to its former pop-up story shop on Corporation Street in 2015.

The author and poet was back in the borough for the literacy charity’s Festival of Stories event at its HQ which opened at the former Talbot Lane church on Ship Hill in April this year.

The former Children's Laureate kept youngsters from East Dene and Ferham primary schools entertained with performances of poems and books including We're Going on a Bear Hunt and Chocolate Cake and also signed their books afterwards.

He also hosted a workshop aimed at supporting teachers to tell stories using the most engaging tactics to captivate children and their imaginations and took part in a book signing event for the public, too.

Speaking to the Advertiser between sessions, he said: “Deborah and I go back a long way and have a shared love of story-telling.

“When she told me about Grimm’s new home it was like a magic thread pulling me back – I just had to come.

“The building is giving me sensory overload – there is so much gong on here I was rendered speechless.

“What a wonderful, incredible, magical place.

“I wish we had something like it in London but it is so special that it is here in Rotherham.

“What great re-use of a building – it has kept the beauty of the church with all of the stained glass and stone.

“What a perfect place for coming up with ideas and stories and poems.”

The author's event was part of Grimm and Co's two-week long Festival of Stories which ends this weekend (Saturday, June 1) and which featured more author events with LD Lapinski and Susannah Lloyd, as well as poetry, spoken word and musical celebrations with Lauren Housley and David Eagle performing songs written by children and young people.