U3A Syston And District

NEW, NEW, NEW, NEW, NEW, NEW!
‘IMAGINARIUM’ GROUP.
‘Imaginarium’? What on earth is that I hear you ask? It’s just your imagination. Do you remember listening as a child to the tales told by older members of the family, or sitting with visiting friends at home and hearing stories that captivated your attention and imagination? Has the art of storytelling been lost? Whilst some people enjoy writing, others might like to express memories and imagination in other ways.
With the working title ‘Imaginarium’, acquired from Walt Disney, I enjoyed many fascinating conversations with interesting people at the U3A ‘Open Day’ in April and a new group was added to the variety of groups already offered. We all have a story in us and with the help of a few props at the first meeting, I was delighted for them to be shared irrespective of being true or false as our imagination is a wonderful asset.
Storytelling is something many of us did with, and as, children. Often when we reach adulthood this ability remains but is dormant.
Members of ‘Imaginarium’ experimented stimulating the imagination using words and pictures to set off flights of fancy. Another meeting introduced a Victorian parlour game called ‘Myriorama’ which helped to move a story along.Given free reign, our imagination can take us to some wonderful places providing lots of scope for development. Stretching the imagination and storytelling can be approached in many different ways, and as a new group we’re experimenting with a few of these to see which works best at getting the ‘little grey cells’ working. Using words, items and picture prompts, we develop stories from a few facts which take us to a new place where the current version is all that matters. Starting with questions like; what do these characters tell you? Where are they from and what are are their stories? Look at any image or object and allow your imagination to create a story around it. What does it say to you? What ideas come in to your head when you look at it?
Members volunteered to bring along three things:-

1. A ‘story starter’ statement that we all will build on.
2. A portable item that has a story behind it for the rest of us to delve in to and come up with our own interpretation.
3. A work related story from our own experience.
   Come to a meeting of ‘Imaginarium’ and tell us. Help to shape how storytelling and using your imagination can be fun!
   Interested? Before becoming a Member of ‘Syston and District U3A’ you can enjoy ‘Taster sessions’ of this group and one other from the diverse choice of groups on offer or come along to our monthly meeting instead.
   For more information on joining and to contact any Group Leader simply visit our website at – www.systonu3a.org.uk