CV

Writer with eight years professional experience creating science theatre shows, workshops and education materials for children of all ages. BBC screenwriting, development and production experience.

CHILDREN’S WRITING

Screenwriter | CBeebies Nina and The Neurons: Go Engineering | BBC Scotland

Writer | Commissioned to write All Aboard the Power of Steam science workshop | National Museums of Scotland

• Created a 90-minute curriculum linked primary school science theatre show and workshop All Aboard the Power of Steam for the 2012/13 Schools Programme. Wrote script and lesson plan. Trained Enablers (staff) to deliver the workshop to schools.

Creator, Writer, Presenter | CBeebies Helping Hands Pilot | BBC Scotland 

• Created and presented Helping Hands, a live action documentary for 3 – 6 year olds. Wrote 26 episode ideas, ‘Life’s a Beach’ script and pitch documents. Filming took place in March / April 2011 and the 15 minute pilot episode was completed in June 2011. Helping Handsis a live project. Producer Jennifer King. Executive Producer Sara Harkins.

Writer | Commissioned to develop four new CBeebies Science Programme Ideas | BBC Scotland

Writer / Creator | Commissioned to write five Nina and The Neurons Series Treatments | BBC Scotland Children’s

• Created supporting pitch documents and wrote 25 episode ideas for each new series. Created story-lines, planed locations and created science demonstrations for multiple episodes.

Creator / Writer / Presenter | Early Years / Special Needs Story Workshops | Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh

• Created and scripted early years educational science story workshops including Sammy’s Ocean Adventure, Ice Age and Tropical Rainforest. Created Special Educational Needs Dinosaur Workshop. Wrote marketing blurb for each workshop, presented the workshops to schools and nurseries and trained staff to deliver the workshops to schools.

Creator / Researcher | Commissioned to develop an interactive science based world | BBC Scotland Children’s

Creator / Writer / Presenter | Science Theatre Shows (30 minutes) For Secondary Schools | Edinburgh University

• Created and scripted science theatre shows for the year, including Spooky Science, The Sound Show and Renewable Energy Show. Presented shows to groups of 80 pupils in Secondary schools all over Scotland for the SCI-FUN Roadshow.

Creator / Writer / Presenter | Science Theatre & Planetarium Shows (30 minutes)  | Techniquest, Cardiff

• Created and presented live shows to the public and schools (audiences of up to 100) including Brownie Stargazer Animal Planetarium Show, Science Circus Workshops and Science of the Toy Box touring science theatre show.

Creator /Researcher | Commissioned to write seven Nina and The Neurons: Go Engineering Storylines | BBC Scotland 

Creator / Writer / Presenter | Percy the Puffin Science Story Workshop | Scottish Seabird Centre

• Created and scripted a rhyming interactive story, song and education activities based on a puffin lifecycle.
• Produced supporting teacher resources including an online PDF
• Presented workshop to schools and nurseries. Live-streamed performance to 63 schools (over 1000 viewers) on schools internet ‘Glow’ generating national press coverage. Featured on the Education Scotland as a best practice case study for schools.
• Performed Percy the Puffin to Her Majesty the Queen followed by a formal introduction.

Creator / Writer | Kids Club Science Magazine and Craft Workshops | Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh

• Wrote and graphically designed the quarterly science magazine for 6 – 12 year olds. Created eight Saturday club craft workshops including writing marketing blurbs for workshops and training staff to deliver presentations.

Creator / Writer / Presenter | Little Pirate Science Story | Scottish Seabird Centre Pirate Weekend

• Created an interactive science theatre story about pirates, treasure, wildlife and facing fear for families and children aged 3-7 years. Science theatre performance dressed as a pirate with actions, musical instruments, puppets, song and rhyme.

Innovator / Writer / Presenter | Education Officer | Scottish Seabird Centre

• Created and delivered inspiring cross-curricular workshops for the school children aged 3 – 18 years. Redesigned Education Centre inside and out and ocean themed the toilets. Created seven new workshops. Secured 3 years funding from Scottish Natural Heritage and raised over £200,000 through grants. More than doubled annual pupil visits from 2000 to over 4000.

Creator / Writer | Rockets, Solar System and Rainforest Birthday Parties | Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh

Creator / Writer / Presenter | Selkie’s Song Science Story (30 minutes) | Scottish Seabird Centre Winter Festival

• Created an interactive science theatre story about a gannet that learns to sing for families and children aged 3-7 years.  Science theatre performance dressed as Green Santa with actions, musical instruments, puppets, song and rhyme.

Writer / Creator / Presenter | Education Officer | Changeworks

• Created and delivered inspiring cross-curricular workshops for the school children aged 3 – 18 years.
• Part of a team developing a 40 page curriculum-linked Zero Waste Heroes Power pack and training session for Eco pupils.
• Wrote text for education pages of website, created new features for the Changeworks Blog and wrote press releases.

Writer / Presenter | Storytelling (30 minutes) | North Berwick Slow Food Festival

• Wrote and presented a version of ‘The little red hen’ for families with children ages 3-7 years. The story is about how bread is made, the audience water the seeds, grind the wheat, mix ingredients, knead dough and enjoy eating the loaf straight from the oven. Using Scots rhyme, songs, a skateboard, actions and interactive demonstrations.

Author | Banana Me Beautiful | Chipmunka Press | July 2011 (e-book), Paperback 2012

• Author of a 40-page collection of poetry, art and photography. More on the Facebook Page.

WORKSHOP FACILITATION / MEDIA PRODUCTION   

Workshop Facilitator | NENgage Digital Storytelling Workshops | North Edinburgh News

• Commissioned to develop and run six digital storytelling workshops at Stockbridge Library for community groups in collaboration with freelance journalist Tom Allan. Organised and promoted workshops including inviting participants, volunteers and guest speakers. Helped to plan and produce five promotional film trailers.

Creator / Facilitator / Editor | How to be a Social Reporter School Film Workshops | Changeworks

• Commissioned to develop and run pupil workshops during the Make Waste History Secondary School Summit 2012. Edited film of pupils work. Guest blogged on Edinburgh Council Children and Families blog, Edinburgh Futures.

Workshop Facilitator | Creative Writing and Reminiscence | Generation Arts | West Lothian Council

• Commissioned to develop and run a creative writing and memories workshop with older people and produce a poem from their memories. Blogged event and poem here.

Producer / Editor / Presenter | Home Insulation Podcast | Edinburgh Community Energy Cooperative 

• Commissioned to create a ten-minute podcast and supporting blog to promote free home insulation In Leith. Blog and podcast hosted by Greener Leith.

Workshop Facilitator | National Poetry Day 2011 | Flora Stevenson Primary School

Producer / Editor / Presenter| Zero Waste Podcast Series | Greener Leith / City of Edinburgh Council 

• Created 12 ten-minute podcasts and accompanying multimedia blog posts to engage and challenge the Leith community to reduce waste e.g. Cutting Waste In The Classroom Leith Primary School Podcast:

Author / Workshop Facilitator | Book Week 2011 | Low Port Primary School West Lothian

Project Manager  | Pods4schools Children’s Film Making Project | Scottish Seabird Centre

• Project managed the development of education materials and a dedicated website to share films produced by school pupils.
• Pitched the project to a dragon’s den style panel of judges (2 rounds) and won the John Logie Baird Award for Innovation.

Workshop Facilitator | Storytelling CPD Course for 18 teachers | West Lothian Council

Film Producer | Climate Stories | Adaptation Scotland / SNIFFER

• Commissioned to produce six short films Highlighting Scotland’s Climate Stories for the SCCIP Adaptation Scotland landmark conference (23/06/11) and for their website.

Workshop Facilitator | Crafty Storytelling Training for Youth Workers | Lothian Association of Youth Clubs 

Author Talk | The West Port Book Festival 2011 | 45 minute event (Sold Out) | Edinburgh Books

• Read the Event Listing, Listen to the Event podcast, Read a Review from Colin Galbraith.

Performance Poet / Stand Up Comedy | Leith On The Fringe 2011: Live In Leith | 3 shows

Producer / Editor | Engaging Staff through Film: Changeworks Big Team Build | 4 days work

• Commissioned to create three short films to empower and motivate staff members on the vision and values of Changeworks.

Event Manager | Banana Me Beautiful book launch | Leith Agency Barge | July 11

• Organised event for 80 attendees with wine, cake, live music, art, photography and readings.
• Performed material from the book along with authors Sara Sheridan, Juliet Wilson and Young Dawkins 3^rd.
• Featured in Edinburgh Spotlight, Review from Helen Caldwell.

Radio Journalist | Breakfast Show | BBC Greater Manchester Radio | One month full-time placement

• Produced short reports for broadcast; compiled and edited vox pops daily; filtered callers during live talk show; received one-on-one voice training. Also paid to come back and work during the European Elections.

VOLUNTARY WORK 

Social Reporter | Scottish Assembly for Tackling Poverty |Produced live audio / video and shared it via social media

Multimedia Journalist | Greener Leith | Created over 100 blogs and podcasts

Social Media Surgeon | Edinbuzz | Edinburgh Libraries

• Supported community groups and individuals across digital platforms such as twitter, facebook and wordpress. Read my blog about it on Greeener Leith.

AWARDS (2011)

• Inspiring Volunteer Award presented by the Lord High Provost
• Greener Leith 6th in the List Magazine’s Top 30 Scottish Websites (including mention of my blog)
• Featured Poet | Scottish Poetry Library Podcast
• Poet Of The Week | Poet on Poetry
• Communicate Science Poetry Competition Winner | World Book Night 

TRAINING

CBBC Writers Lab: BBC Scotland Children’s and The Scottish Book Trust: 4 day course

• Competitive entry course on writing children’s television for 6 to 12 years. Workshops on pitching, scripting and current content run by CBBC industry professionals. Course led by Louise Corbett, Executive Editor CBBC Scotland.

CBeebies Writers Lab: BBC Scotland Children’s and The Scottish Book Trust: 4 day course

• Competitive entry course on writing children’s television for 6 to 12 years. Workshops on pitching, scripting and current content run by CBBC industry professionals. Course led by Sara Harkins, Executive Director BBC Children’s Scotland.

Josh Selig Master Class / Brainstorming Workshop: Pre School TV development with Little Airplane Productions (2 day)

Science On TV: Practical training course with Science Television Producer Jonathan Sanderson (1 day)

Scottish Storytelling Centre: Certificate in Storytelling Skills and Development (9 courses, 6 days training in total)

SpeyGrian Creative Connections: Creative writing course led by writer Gerry Cambridge and broadcaster Kenny Taylor (7 day)

Eco Schools Assessor and Eco Schools Assessor Refresher: Training to assess schools for their green flag (2 day)

John Muir Award Leader: Leadership course on discovering, exploring, conserving & sharing a wild place (2 day)

Sirius Environmental Leadership Scholarship: Creative writing, environmental leadership and wilderness journey (6 day)

Media Mentor: Training with Paul Murricane (1 day)

EDUCATION 

MSc Communicating Science: Techniquest, University of Wales, Cardiff

• Script writing; presenting; evaluation; research; visitor studies; video production; interactive exhibit design.
• Dissertation: Created a rockets show and workshop and toured it to primary schools in England and Wales.

Visited Hawaii to work with NASA

BSc Hons Geophysical Sciences, 2.1 University of Southampton      Managed Geophysical Survey on Nevis

A-Levels: Maths (B), General Studies (B), Physics (B), Fine Art (B)       GCSEs (11 inc 9 A/A*)