‘Tell Tall Tales’ is a one-of-a-kind project that will enable local young people to research, re-tell and celebrate local folklore and community stories from across Leicester and Leicestershire such as Black Annis and The Nine O’Clock Horses.
This isn’t your typical heritage project, we aim to bring the rich tapestry of local myths, superstitions and folklore to life, catapulting these stories into 2024 ensuring they continue to inspire future generations.
This project has been funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the largest dedicated funder of the UK’s heritage, Their vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future as set out in their strategic plan, Heritage 2033.
The Heritage Fund helps protect, transform and share the things from the past that people care about, from popular museums and historic places, our natural environment and fragile species, to the languages and cultural traditions that celebrate who we are.
Tell Tall Tales is a celebration of Leicester and Leicestershire folklore, centred around creativity, youth, and community stories.
Every culture has its own version of ‘Once Upon A Time’, however, a 2017 study revealed that many traditional tales are set to be lost within a generation.
This project has helped young people and communities get a better understanding of the folk stories associated with Leicester and Leicestershire and enabled them to share these stories in a fun and accessible way preserving and celebrating the stories connected to their roots.
Creative outputs of this project include a graphic novel, a documentary film, storytelling workshops, zine making workshops and a performance event re-telling these classic tales through different music genres such as Drum and Bass, Folk and Jazz!
Through Tell Tall Tales, we have brought the rich tapestry of local myths and folklore to life, catapulting these stories into the present day and ensuring they continue to inspire future generations. We chose seven stories.
Sean Dudley, Lead Researcher, Tell Tall Tales
“As part of the Tell Tall Tales project, I was asked to work with a group of young people to research and explore the stories that would ultimately shape the graphic novel, and the other creative outputs delivered as part of this fantastic project”
Click ‘The Cursed Slippers of Papillon Hall’ for Full Research Document
Summer Music Workshop at Pedestrian: A Creative Journey
During the summer of 2024, Pedestrian became a hub of creativity as young people gathered to craft their own original songs. Under the expert guidance of 10AD, TM, and Dwight Jones, participants immersed themselves in the world of music production. They made beats, sampled music, created mesmerising soundscapes, penned heartfelt lyrics, and recorded their masterpieces. The result? The captivating tracks "Nine O’Clock Horses" and "Bel The Giant," showcasing the incredible talent and hard work of these budding artists.
Check out one of the amazing tracks all about ‘The Cursed Slipper of Papillion Hall’
Throughout the summer holidays we delivered a series of Zine making sessions young people aged 8-13 years. This was in collaboration with 10 Leicester City and Leicestershire Libraries, as part of their summer reading challenge ‘Marvellous Makers’
Young people had the opportunity to design and create their very own Zine based on the stories from the Tell Tall Tales research, their own stories they know or one they have created.
They could then take their Zine home to share with friends and family.
Enter Edem were a key delivery partner for Tell Tall Tales projects spoken word/drama element. They sourced a team who devised and delivered 2 x 2 drama workshops to young people at Curve’s CYC group in order to engage them with local folklore stores, as identified as part of the research phase already carried out by young people. These films were then shown live in the basement of Beaumanor Hall as part of the Folktastic Event!
Animation workshops were held at Phoenix - where young people created stop motion animation with ‘Go Animate’ to create mini films based on the young people’s research from the previous workshop.
Our grand finale performance was on Saturday 16th November 2024 at the historic and beautiful Beaumanor Hall. Where local legends like Black Annis, Bel the Giant and Heer & Ranjha were brought to life in a vibrant celebration of Leicester and Leicestershire’s folklore.
It was a musical journey of diverse performances and musical styles, including hip hop, jazz, folk, and classical, composed and performed by local young musicians, grassroots community groups and leading national music organisations such as National Jazz Youth Collective (NYJC), LeicesterShire Music (LMS), Zer0 Classikal and English Folk Dance and Song Society (EFDSS). These original pieces retold local traditional stories in a fresh, contemporary way, introducing a new generation to the rich cultural heritage of the county.
Help creating the atmosphere were a range of organisations, Tom the Tale Teller welcomed people in with stories by the fire, Enter Edem, a collective of multi-skilled artists, who have joined together to create unique conceptual experiences. They created a lively, astonishing, visual theatrics making Folktastic truely immersive.
“What an incredible day! With some really talented young people & some amazing adults that are really pushing them to be the best they can be.”
Our heritage graphic novel is the ideal way to bring the folk tales and local stories from the city and county in a fun, accessible way to a new generation of children and young people to preserve and celebrate the stories connected to their roots.
This graphic novel wouldn’t have been possible without the dedication of our writers, illustrators and support from De Montfort University. By bringing these narratives to life in a visually compelling format, their tribute to these stories blend history, culture and heritage in a way that engages, educates, and inspires. It is with great pride that not only have we included the well-known tales of Black Annis and The Nine O Clock Horses but also stories from cultures across the world who now call Leicester their home, community tales that need to be shared on an equal platform.
This novel is dedicated to all the children and young people of Leicester and Leicestershire and the amazing Pedestrian team who embrace all ideas with enthusiasm and commitment to make them to best they can be!
The exhibition at The Leicester Stories Gallery within Leicester Museum & Art Gallery celebrates the findings of our 2024 flagship heritage project, This exciting exhibition runs from Saturday 15th February till Monday 9th June 2025.
Visitors will get to discover Pedestrian’s origin story, have a deep dive into the journey of how local legends were brought to light through storytelling, art and community collaboration. Plus, there is a rare opportunity to see the actual ‘Cursed slippers of Papillion Hall’ – generously loaned by Harborough Museum, but make sure you don’t get too close!
As part of the exhibition, we offered two FREE zine-making workshops for families during February half-term.
“It was great to visit Pedestrian’s Tell Tall Tales exhibition. Local traditional stories re-told in a fresh, contemporary way, introducing a new generation to the rich cultural heritage of the county. Great way to engage young people with history.”
Tell Tall Tales Documentary: A Journey Captured by Rendah Film.
The talented team at Rendah Films meticulously followed the Tell Tall Tales project from its inception, capturing every event and speaking to a diverse range of participants involved in this captivating initiative. Their dedication has culminated in a fascinating documentary that delves into every aspect of Tell Tall Tales – from the meticulous planning and music creation to the vibrant performances and exhibitions.
This documentary offers an in-depth look at the project's journey, showcasing the creativity and hard work that brought it to life. Premiered at Phoenix Cinema and Arts Centre to a full house, the film received an enthusiastic response from the audience. Now, you can experience this remarkable journey yourself, as the documentary is available on our YouTube channel.
Tell Tall Tales: Bringing Folk Stories to Life in Local Schools
In a unique collaboration with Historic England, Tom ‘The Tale Teller’ Phillips embarked on a storytelling adventure across five local primary schools: Eyres Monsell, Mayflower, Mellor, Queensmead, and Millfield Academy. As part of the "Tell Tall Tales" initiative, Tom introduced approximately 500 Key Stage 2 children to the enchanting world of oral storytelling.
Tom's sessions were more than just storytelling; they were an invitation for children to explore their cultural heritage. He encouraged them to speak with family and loved ones to uncover folk stories from their own backgrounds. A few weeks later, Tom returned to the schools to hear the fascinating tales the children had discovered, including the eerie Slovakian legend of Baba Yaga, a flesh-eating witch with an uncanny resemblance to the local legend of Black Annis.
This initiative not only ignited a passion for storytelling among the children but also fostered a deeper connection to their cultural roots.
