Faraway on Lydiard

RENEE Price’s passion is creating imaginative experiences for children.

“I’ve done that for my own children for 12 years,” she said. “It’s something that I always wanted to explore more but haven’t really had the chance.”

That was until late last year when Mrs Price and Collins Booksellers on Lydiard Owner, Tracey Willersdorf put their heads together to create Faraway Storytelling, an engaging weekly children’s literary experience.

Mrs Price chooses one or a selection or stories each Tuesday to take children’s imaginations to another place for thirty minutes.

“Some weeks we’ll just read a variety of books and other weeks it’ll be a theme. I want the children to feel like the books are coming to life,” Mrs Price said.

“I’m so lucky to have such a variety of books to choose from, and books that you can see really engage the children.”

Five to ten children usually attend the free session each week, which is perfect for three to five-year olds.

“I just like the idea that we’ve got people who are regular customers to the store, but some people might come in and haven’t been here before.

They get to experience this beautiful space,” Mrs Price said.

“To have this little nook that we can take over each week, and having young kids sit and just be mesmerised by the stories is just really rewarding.”

The literary community is currently celebrating 30 years of Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury, and 11 million copies sold.

Last week, Faraway Storytelling joined in the fun, creating an interactive Bear Hunt experience for children to swish through grass, splosh through a river, squelch through mud, stumble trip through a forest, whirl through a snowstorm and tiptoe through a cave, all inside Collins on Lydiard.

Ms Willersdorf modelled this shop space on England’s oldest bookstore, Hatchard’s, established
in 1797.

The iconic Piccadilly store, next door to Fortnum and Mason, has become a real landmark for London, and Mrs Willersdorf hopes Collins can be a “destination bookstore” for Ballarat too.

Over Easter, the shop hosted an interactive Harry Potter themed week of experiences.

“For people to come into the store and feel like they’re a part of the experience was really important,” Mrs Price said.

Recently she also facilitated Faraway Storytelling with a Wizard of Oz theme.

“I brought in the yellow brick road, and dressed as Dorothy, and had all the props for the children to act out parts of the story,” she said.

“I love doing that and they love doing that.”

Mrs Willersdorf looks forward to hosting more activities like this for children and adults alike, and enticing new people into the store.

“I’m a teacher and I love reading,” she said. “I’d like everyone to be immersed in books and print.

“The storytelling is such a good thing to be able to offer, that anyone can come in and have that experience in our bookstore.

“We just want to give every child a beautiful experience with our bookstore and with our reading.”

Faraway Storytelling runs from 10am to 10.30am every Tuesday during school terms at Collins Booksellers, 22 Lydiard Street North, Ballarat.

Keep up to date with events at the store at facebook.com/CollinsBooksellersonLydiard.