Annelies James

I am a community archaeologist & wellbeing facilitator. I love to discover and tell untold stories from the past & to help people discover history & engage in cultural heritage. I help heritage organisations with community engagement, co-creation, education, outreach & interpretation. I offer public historical walks and talks. I am passionate about the role heritage can play in wellbeing & communities. I enjoy taking heritage into care settings & groups, with through reminiscence & object handling. I have completed the Green Dementia Care programme am looking forward to offering Elders of the Woods sessions very soon. In community venues, I run Arts, Crafts & Archaeology workshops & work with social prescribers.  

I am a children’s playwright, poet and community creative writing facilitator. With fifteen years experience working in the sector, I have had multiple plays for primary school age children to perform published and have had works for children and families commissioned from theatres and arts organisations. My playwrighting focus is on inclusive history that is curriculum-adjacent or locally relevant and I’m particularly passionate about amplifying the stories of marginalised women and girls from the past. I work with schools and in the community delivering a range of bespoke workshops to young people, families and to those living with dementia and their carers.

I’m Michael Woods, Managing Director of Solent Sky Services, which I run with my wife Sara from Portsmouth. I’ve always been creative and into tech, and drones brought the two together. Since 2017 I’ve been hooked on flying and telling stories from the air. I’m a CAA-qualified drone pilot, and I also shoot on the ground with cinema cameras, direct and edit. I love working with artists and have filmed with Olana Light and Roo Abrook, captured the Lido Lives dance film for Portsmouth 100 and cover Look Up Festival every year. I’ve run drone workshops, supported two apprentices through their courses and enjoy helping others into the industry. I’m always happy to talk ideas, collaborate and help artists see their work from a new perspective.