This month, Exeter Custom House invited The Writers’ Block to come and create a popup version of something similar. Two Exeter primary schools came to test it out and much fun was had!

‘Year Six students from Cranbrook Education Campus and Whipton Barton Primary each came for a full day at Exeter Custom House. They were enthusiastic pioneers, full of curiosity and interest. They were guided throughout by performer and writer Annamaria Murphy, in role as “Story Doctor, free prescriptions for metaphors, similes, exciting words for all your word needs”, with handy Story Repair Kit at the ready.

The day began out on the quayside, observing swans and creating diamanté poems about them. This was followed by kennings and by stories sparked through mime. Ideas were lit by the many curious artefacts that the children could discover in the cupboards and on the shelves of Exeter Custom House. It was great fun working with these groups, they created fabulous work and we look forward to expanding further on this very creative approach to inspiring young writers.’

Helen Chaloner, Literature Works