Designed to spark imagination and build storytelling skills, the partnership has seen students participate in fantastical workshops led by Grimm & Co.’s team of storytelling experts, Zora, Gem, and Mads. The sessions encouraged young people to embrace mythical identities, invent imaginative stories, and even rebrand everyday products for mythical creatures.
Eric Redknapp, Teaching and Learning Lead for Options, and Katy Edmondson, Head Teacher at Phoenix School, worked closely with Grimm & Co. to plan the workshops. Training sessions were delivered to the Grimm & Co. team, offering insights into the educational setting at Cygnet Hospital Sheffield.
During their visits to Phoenix School, Grimm & Co. introduced students to a ‘wheel of mythical creatures,’ assigning fantastical personas such as Gorgons, Minotaurs, and Phoenixes. Students worked together to create captivating stories, developing characters, settings, and plotlines.
“The students in both sessions engaged brilliantly, working as teams to bring their imaginative ideas to life,” said Katy Edmondson. “We saw stories featuring a spoon-human racing through a maze and a dragon working on Cygnet Hospital Sheffield’s mythical fifth ward, accessible only through the infamous lift that never works.”
Following the workshops, Grimm & Co.’s creative team illustrated the students’ characters, producing bespoke colouring sheets and bound storybooks now proudly displayed in the Phoenix School library.
In a particularly memorable session, students explored Grimm & Co.’s whimsical apothecary, filled with eccentric items such as Grandma’s Scabs and Goblin Mucus. Embracing the imaginative world, students were tasked with re-marketing baked beans to mythical creatures, resulting in humorous and inventive concepts. One group envisioned beans as the kidney stones of a magical horse, ideal for exfoliating dragon dandruff, while another warned of overcooking-induced shrinking.
“The workshops have been a fantastic success,” added Katy. “The students’ enthusiasm was infectious, and even staff embraced their inner child for a little silliness. We’re incredibly grateful to Zora, Gem, and Mads for their energy and creativity and look forward to welcoming them back soon.”