Artists Kevin Wrench and Andrew Franks make and combine environments with video, animation and performance (they also make and record music!) Wrench & Franks designed the Lickety Playcards and most our project logos - CFN, Porridge & Play, Picnic & Play, Bookplay and Storyplay! Find more of their work at www.wrenchandfranks.com
Eoin is an Irish portrait and documentary photographer based in Galsgow. He has taken photos at Licketyspit projects including Big Porridge & Play Glasgow 2017-2025, Ibrox Storyplay 2018 and the Storyplay Festivals 2022 & 2024. On Licketyspit, Eoin says, "As a creative and a parent I have a huge appreciation for the work Licketyspit do and really value my connection with them. Their work is play. It is incredible to see how effective their work is in the faces of children and the energy of parents. It is grounded, inclusive, responsive and consistent, adult words to describe what all play should be." Eoin works across the performing arts in theatre, music and dance and creates work for editorial, advertising and commercial clients. Describing his own work, he says "I am endlessly drawn to photography's strange and recognisable brilliance at telling a story and I really like working collaboratively to explore ways to make that happen. I have a deep interest in people and I always look for the human element at the centre of a photo." "I work on multiple personal projects around parenthood, exploration and conservation. I recently visited Ecuador to photograph an expedition to an important and hidden cave network in the Amazon rainforest (www.Tayos.org). Click here to visit Eoin Carey's website.
Joe is a freelance videographer and film-maker who has worked with Licketyspit for over 6 years. He regularly films LicketyLeap - a core part of the project which enables parents and carers to watch their child take part in the journey with Margaret & Margaret. You can watch some of Joe's other work here.
Catherine is a Communications Officer at the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH). She promotes the national directors of CIH as thought leaders in the housing sector and the organisation itself as the professional body for people who work in housing and the home of professional standards. A former journalist, Catherine has worked in numerous communications roles in the third sector, education, theatre and museums & galleries. Her work at Children in Scotland developed a passion for children’s rights and a belief in the transformational power of art, music and play. As a child, Catherine’s favourite games were creating stories about flower fairies in the garden and tearing around the neighbourhood on her Chopper bike with friends.
Marguerite Hunter Blair is Chief Executive of Play Scotland the national play organisation (since 2006). A leading figure championing the child’s right to play, she was previously CEO of PlayBoard Northern Ireland, after a career in community development with Belfast City Council. Talking about play when she was growing up, Marguertite said, "We lived near an old Mill and our play centred around the river, the tail race and the lade. Some of our rope swings over the river were dangerous (and removed by the adults) but we also loved catching baggy minnows, picking and pressing the wild flowers and roaming for miles on foot in all seasons, endlessly collecting things like conkers and cones for spraying!"
Esther is a Service Manager at Scottish Refugee Council (SRC). She has worked at Scottish Refugee Council since 2005 and is currently managing asylum projects including the family service, where she has led on collaborations with Licketyspit! She has a background in child development, educational psychology and mental health. Esther's favourite childhood games were nhodo (played with stones on the ground) and pada (hopscotch)!
The success of Licketyspit’s approach is rooted in the synergy between actors and children as experts in play. At Licketyspit, we draw on a pool of freelance actor-pedagogues who facilitate Storyplay, LicketyLeap, Porridge & Play and Picnic & Play. Already experienced actors or community artists, we provide our actor-pedagogues with additional training, enabling them to become highly skilled in the facilitation of inclusive drama-led play both with children (nursery –P7) and intergenerational play with teachers and with families.
The Licketyspit Volunteers play a key role in supporting Porridge & Play and Picnic & Play sessions. They receive mentoring and support from the Licketyspit core team and participate in evaluations and debriefs. In 2019, our volunteers were Asim, Saliha, Daniel and Boatemma. "My experience as a volunteer with Licketyspit is one of the most remarkable experiences, as the sessions invests in the future through enhancing children’s imagination and creativity." "Doing this has made realise how much I like being with children, even though I'm an adult, doing these kinds of things I feel I can be more myself. I feel free. With the dressing up, you can't do that all the time but I feel I can be myself." "I really love doing the soup…there's positive feedback... I think that these are the kind of projects that should be encouraged." If you are interested in volunteering with Licketyspit, please get in touch by emailing cfn@licketyspit.com.
