An event to hear stories in-conversation style with some remarkable older people living in Chester.  

During 2022 Storyhouse Community Programme Manager Nicola Haigh visited some of Chester’s residential care homes, day care centres and groups designed for older people. Nicola’s mission was to hear real life stories from a generation whose stories are rarely celebrated.   

At this event Storyhouse Elders gives the stage to our communities nigh-forgotten older heroes. Come and listen to some of the astonishing people who live in Chester.  

Captain Ken Stacey Age 85  
During World War Two Ken attended St Johns school and later Walpole Grammar School in Ealing, London. At the age of 16 he moved onto Vindicatrix Sea Training School , Sharpness Gloucestershire before entering the Merchant Navy as a Deck Boy. Ken went on to become a Captain, in a career in the shipping and port industries spanned 52 years. His experiences are remarkable.

Kate Rayner Age 52
Founder and Chair of the Chester Chapter of Cycling Without Age. Kate will tell the story of how she discovered the initiative, fundraised for two trishaws (a small, light vehicle with three wheels for carrying people pedalled by the operator) and is now meeting people every week and giving them an immense amount of freedom, fresh air and good times. 

Joy France Age 65
Joy discovered her creativity and passion for performance poetry in her mid-50s and says “having learned to ignore the doubting voices in my head, I have now found my own voice and will never again be silenced.“ 

When Joy dared to enter “the brutal world of battle rap” she had no idea that it would change her life forever, it was also how she met UK based rapper, Skully. Skully says that meeting Joy certainly transformed his. Now, Joy and Skully are best friends who together work on many creative projects. A most unlikely and special friendship and creative partnership. Spoken word, music, rap, storytelling but not like you have seen before.