Biography

Giles Abbott started storytelling in 1999 as a result of losing much of his “useful eyesight” in 1998. Now registered blind, he puts it;

“Through loss of something I took for granted I have found something I didn’t know I’d lost - the joy of story!”

Giles performs regularly at major storytelling festivals (Festival at the Edge, Beyond the Border, Westcountry Storytelling Festival, Whitby International Folk Week).

Giles was awarded the solo commission (adult) for Edge 2007, for which he composed a new telling of the Irish epic “Deirdre”. He continues to perform in clubs all over England.

Giles is resident storyteller at the Kensington & Chelsea Hospital Schools and works every week in primary and secondary schools, mostly, but not exclusively, in London. In 2007 he was awarded a British Telecom “Speaking & Listening” Award for a project undertaken for Dubasha Foundation, using storytelling as a mechanism by which children of 3rd generation Guajarati descent were enabled to dramatically increase their confidence, pride and attainment in their bilingual ability.

Giles qualified as a Voice Teacher (MA Voice Studies, CSSD) in early 2006 and teaches voice to foundation and diploma drama students for Birkbeck College, University of London, also at Arts Ed.. He runs presentation training courses for business people.

In May 2001 he was heard on Radio 4 regarding his work recording stories for distribution amongst blind children in Calderdale, and was interviewed again in 2004. His poetry has been published in “Dream Catcher” and “The Spectator”.