“Have a Stake in Your Story!”
Shiverpool and The City of Liverpool College Team up with Academia and The Friends of St James’ Garden for a Bespook Gothic Activity…
Photo Credit to Shiverpool & Caseus Photo
Local history and classic literature came together on Monday evening as Shiverpool partnered with The City of Liverpool College academic specialists and the Trustees of The Friends of St James’ Cemetery Garden to support A Level English Literature students step deeper into the world of Dracula.
Guided by the award-winning Shiverpool team, students explored the city’s landmarks through live storytelling and performance, using Liverpool’s streets as an extended learning space. The evening finished with lantern-lit readings in St James’ Cemetery, led by The City of Liverpool College English lecturers Chantelle Nichols and Hazel Muldoon, with academic specialist Dr Alex Carabine providing context and discussion points drawn from Stoker’s text. Academic from University of Liverpool Anna Fairley Nielsson illuminated the group with historical details of William Huskisson’s tomb.
The specially designed bespook event dubbed ‘Have a Stake in Your Story’ began outside the Philharmonic pub, winding through the Georgian Quarter, and ended at the mausoleum of Lord William Huskisson. The session offered students from Wirral Bootle, Huyton, Old Swan and surrounding areas the chance to see familiar places through a literary lens or as Bram Stoker himself might have put it, to “look again with sharpened senses.”
The collaboration forms part of Shiverpool’s wider community spirit programme, supporting schools and colleges by using heritage, storytelling and performance to enrich learning across the city.
The City of Liverpool College Lecturer Chantelle Nichols said:
“This event is about lifting literature off the page and placing it directly into the streets of Liverpool. We want students to walk the themes, hear the language and feel the setting in places where the city’s history still speaks.”
Shiverpool’s Chilla Black said:
“We’re delighted to work with Liverpool City College and our academic partners to enrich students’ learning. Shiverpool has long been a favourite for schools and colleges, and events like this allow us to create truly ‘bespook’ experiences that link directly to what students are studying and, naturally, to deliver the shiver along the way. If you have a project and think Shiverpool can help, get in touch and let’s start plotting.” Contact info@shiverpool.co.uk
