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Jess Smith

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Contact: jessjourney48@gmail.com
Local authority: Perth and Kinross
Languages: English, Scots
Jess Smith's headshot

As an author of the Scottish Travelling lifestyle, it is important for me to highlight the diversity of the culture and to educate on this throughout schools, groups, prisons, and universities.

My published books are varied to take all ages into consideration - Jessie's Journey, Tales from the Tent and Tears for a Tinker, Sookin Berries, Bruar's Rest, Way of the Wanderers.

I have researched both the history and the cultural awareness of Scottish Gypsy Travellers, crucially important when educating on the cultural differences. I have also campaigned to have the Tinker's Heart of Argyll listed as a Scottish monument. This is a small collection of white quarzt stones at a crossroads on the Dunoon road adjoining with Hell's Glen road. It was significant to Travellers because it served as a church for centuries, where they married, blessed their dead and christened babies. The campaign resulted in Historic Environment Scotland changing their criteria to include a form of intangible heritage.

I am now an ambassador for HES in their recent Heritage For All corporate plan for 2019. My vision is to change attitudes towards G/T people so that the young can go forward and be all they can be.

(Works in Scots)

Local authorities can visit

Aberdeenshire; Angus; Argyll and Bute; Clackmannanshire; Dumfries and Galloway; Dundee; East Ayrshire; East Dunbartonshire; East Lothian; East Renfrewshire; Edinburgh City; Falkirk; Fife; Glasgow City; Highland; Inverclyde; Midlothian; Moray; Na h-Eileanan Siar (Western Isles); North Ayrshire; North Lanarkshire; Perth and Kinross; Renfrewshire; Scottish Borders; South Ayrshire; South Lanarkshire; Stirling; West Dunbartonshire; West Lothian

Events can deliver

Mentoring; Performance; Reading; Talk; Workshop; Chairing events

Audience can work with

Adult learners; Outdoor learning; Prisoners & young offenders; Vulnerable young people (under 18); Young people in the community (e.g. Youth clubs, Guides, Scouts)

Topics of work

Biography & memoir; Contemporary fiction; Discrimination & prejudice; Fairy tales, folklore & mythology; Family; Fantasy; First experiences for younger readers; Historical fiction; History; Human rights; Love & romance; Music; Performance training; Poverty; Rural communities; Urban communities

Age groups published for

Children; Teens; Adults

Age groups can work with

6-8; 9-11; 12-14; 15-18; 18+

Audience size

11-30; 31-100