Project Overview
We are an artist-led initiative at the intersection of papercraft, storytelling, and nature connection.
Wild Wings of Hope is a new creative project led by Ed Harrison, launched in collaboration with storytellers Chief Gift Amu and Cara Silversmith.
Our mission is to celebrate the winged beings that migrate between the UK and Africa—bringing people closer to nature through papercraft, story, and song.
Participants are invited to explore the wonders of barn swallows, swifts, and flying insects through papercut and storytelling sessions—discovering the cultural traditions and shared biodiversity that transcends borders.
With the generous support of Creative Scotland, Wild Wings of Hope is now delivering outreach workshops to bring stories of hope and connection to the people and places that need them most.
What we do
Facilitating the making of tactile paper insects & birds, nurturing creativity through sustainable craft.
Memorable performances that bring folklore & ecology to life, integrating drumming & papercuts as props.
A fresh, engaging approach to nature-education, through interactive audiovisual storytelling.
Hope
We aim to use our project to transform loss & apathy into creativity, belonging & hopeful action.
Project backstory
Wild Wings of Hope was conceived after the passing of artist Ed Harrison’s father, transforming personal grief into a creative exploration of interconnectedness and hope.
From childhood, Ed’s dad nurtured his love of nature and of barn swallows, which nested in the roof of their shed.
On the anniversary of his dad’s passing, the family scattered his ashes in the garden—and on that very same day, the swallows returned from migration, offering a powerful symbol of hope and renewed connection to his dad, who always found so much joy in their return.
I immersed myself in the studio, creating illustrations of barn swallows. It was a way of helping me navigate grief.
Inspired by the return of the swallows, Ed took to the studio and began a new illustration series as a tribute to his dad.
These evolved into tactile papercuts, which he developed into pieces that participants could make themselves in a creative workshop setting.
But something was missing–the rich folklore and storytelling surrounding these migratory birds.
Ed began reaching out to storytellers with roots in Scotland and Africa to bring these narratives to life through collaboration—one that echoes the ancient pathways swallows trace each year.
We create experiences that foster nature-connection, creativity & hope.
Who We Work With
We offer nature-inspired workshops that bring comfort, connection & creativity in sensitive environments.
We weave ecological education into our workshops to spark curiosity & inspire future generations to care for the natural world.
We connect community groups & cultural organisations with stories of nature, folklore & biodiversity.
Team-building workshops & sustainable activities that help mission-driven organisations integrate hopeful storytelling into their culture.
The Storytellers
Master folklorist Chief Gift Amu and Scottish bard Cara Silvermith joined Ed, helping to shape the project into a cross-cultural collaboration that celebrates the diversity of life and the winged creatures that know no borders.
From these connections, Wild Wings of Hope took flight.
Together, they join their voices in vibrant storytelling, weaving folklore, ecology, and drumming to spark wonder, joy, and a deeper connection with the culture and biodiversity of Scotland and Africa.
The stories we weave will be filled with a sense of hope and connection that is so vital in the world right now.
Our values
Bringing together diverse creative disciplines to weave craft, story & sound into unique & meaningful experiences.
craft
We integrate mindful making into our craft, beginning with sustainable materials as part of our commitment to the planet.
Inspired by nature (which knows no borders) we bring together diverse voices, cultures, traditions & perspectives.
We push the boundaries of interactive, nature-based storytelling by combining different creative practices, ancient & new.
