LGBT History Month takes place throughout February, aiming to replace ignorance and prejudice with knowledge and understanding, yet those who watched BBC Three documentary Britain’s Gay Footballers will be aware that, as much as we may think we live in liberated times, there is still fear and bigotry when it comes to sexual orientation.

The Scottish Storytelling Centre is working alongside LGBT Youth Scotland to present two events for parents (LGBT Families: Our Stories on Thursday 2 February at 7pm) and their families (LGBT Families Day: Storytelling for Children on Saturday 18 February at 2pm) which encourages the LGBT community to come together and share their stories, in the hope that the awareness of the complexities of modern family life can be understood and accepted from early years on.

By speaking directly to its own peoples, as well as society as a whole, the inclusive events will benefit everyone and ensure celebration, debate and discussion around the continued struggle for LGBT liberation. Wendy Woolfson, a storyteller based in Glasgow who is leading the session on Saturday 18 February feels the Centre is the perfect place to host LGBT family events as she explains:

“We are encouraging this community to exchange their stories, open up and celebrate the diversity of modern family living and the Centre provides both the perfect physical and spiritual backdrop – it’s a warm, welcoming space that embraces inclusiveness and it’s the home of Scotland’s stories which should include the narrations of LGBT communities.

“I’m really excited about being involved with something so close to heart as many friends fall under the LGBT banner and I think it’s vital that this community, which makes up 10% of our population, get to share their stories. There are very little places in Glasgow and Edinburgh for youngsters to go and openly talk with peers about issues they face, which is shocking, so we hope these events can become regular events with LGBT Youth, which would only benefit youngsters coping with changes in their family dynamic.

“There is still a long way to go to bring these new family structures into people’s awareness as the stereotypical 2.4 children set up becomes less the norm in an ever-changing contemporary society. The inclusiveness of these events will hopefully allow people to start thinking that it is safe to be who you are and to celebrate that.”

Inclusiveness continues in the Centre between the LGBT events with storytellers Marie Louise Cochrane and Ailie Finlay presenting The Story Kist: Inclusive Storytelling on Saturday 11 February at 11am, designed to ensure children with learning disabilities can interact with tales.

Stories and storytelling can be enjoyed by everyone, especially if the story session involves lively singing, friendly puppets and intriguing props! With this in mind the Storytelling Centre is starting a series of inclusive storytelling sessions aimed particularly at children with additional needs and their families and friends. Ailie Finlay and Marie Louise start off The Story Kist series with stories for lighter days as signs of spring begin to appear: stories of sunshine, star-shine, moonshine and candlelight. The session will include lots of joining-in, games, songs and helpful props that squeak or squish or smell!

Ailie and Marie Louise have been working together over a number of years and have developed a lively, interactive storytelling style. Marie Louise is a singer/song-writer as well as a teller and her songs bring a special cosiness to their story sessions. Ailie specialises in working with people with additional needs and in 2010 was awarded a Scottish Arts Council (Creative Scotland) Storyteller’s Bursary to develop a programme of multi-sensory storytelling for children with complex additional needs.

Of course, February couldn’t slip by without a little nod to St. Valentine, so the regular event for tots, Tiny Tales on Tuesday 14 February at 10am and 11.30am gets the love bug treatment as Maria Cairney leads an interactive session for little ones, then the debonair duo of David Campbell and Janis McKay lead us through an evening of stories, song, poetry recital and music in Cafe Voices on Wednesday 15 February at 7pm, where the focus of the evening will be on Cupid’s Arrow… whether the shot is in target or not is up to you.

Also playing with the allusions of love is Alistair Rutherford, as his new romantic comedy, Passing Through, is performed by Peapod Productions on Friday 10 and Saturday 11 February at 8pm. After the 5* success of The Garden last summer, this in-situ company strike again with a chance meeting between two strangers on a wet winter’s night, each one fed up with life and romance. Rutherford’s piece questions whether love is a magic formula or a conjuring illusion in this engaging two-hander.

Another two-hander marrying story and music comes to life on Friday 17 February as Singer/storyteller Lea Taylor and Harpist/Storyteller Heather Yule present a stirring programme of Sea Stories and shanties in two sessions. At 10.30am gather the whole family and be transported down to the seaside as Lea and Heather take you on an unforgettable voyage of adventure and introduce you to changelings, talkative fisherman and other intriguing characters in You and Me… to the Sea! Then in the evening at 7.30pm, cosy up and enjoy Scottish Tales of the Sea and Shore, where you will be transported into the world of the Great Selkie of Sule Skerrie – a blend of narrative/harp and song exploring this traditional Scottish ballad with Scandinavian roots. Both these events are funded by Enterprise Music Scotland.

Scottish Story Telling Centre

Box Office: 0131 556 9579

Thu 2 Feb | 7pm (2hrs) | £5 | 16+

LGBT Families: Our Stories

Hear from mums, dads, partners, boyfriends, girlfriends, co-parents and friends about the highs and lows of assisted fertility, co-parenting, adoption, fostering and more. You will also have the chance to tell your own story, sharing your journey with other parents and people hoping to parent. This event will be in a relaxed and safe environment and will be facilitated by people with personal experience of parenting in diverse families.

Fri 10 & Sat 11 Feb | 8pm (1hr) | £10/£8 | 14+

Passing Through

At the Dockers Social Club there’s been a terrible mistake. They booked ‘The Ace of Spades’ thinking it was a Motorhead tribute band but they got Tommy the Magician instead. Tommy made a sharp exit and is nursing a pint and a bruised ego in the pub down the road when Alice stomps in from the rain. She’s soaked, been stood up and that’s it, she’s had it forever with romance. What neither of them realise is that some magic might just be around the corner… Or is true love just another conjuring trick, a sleight of hand? Peapod Productions return to the Storytelling Centre after this summer’s 5* sell-out performance of The Garden. www.peapodproductions.co.uk

Sat 11 Feb | 11am (1hr) | £5 – Family ticket £16 (4 people) | All Ages

The Story Kist: Inclusive Storytelling

As the days get lighter join us for stories of sunshine, star-shine, moonshine and candle light. Interactive stories and games for children with additional needs, their families, friends and carers. A chance to share experiences with lots of fun for everyone! With storytellers Ailie Finlay and Marie Louise Cochrane.

Tue 14 Feb | 10am & 11.30am (40mins) | £6 per child | Age 6mths-2yrs

Tiny Tales

“Love is a comforting wave or a hug. Love is a noo-noo, a sniffy, a snug.

Love is memory wrapped in a jug… Time to get The Love Bug!” Bring love to share in this cosy session with storyteller Maria Cairnie for little ones to get interactive with tales.

Wed 15 Feb | 7pm (2hrs) | £5 | 14+

Café Voices: Cupid’s Arrow

Songs, stories and music for love with Janis Mackay, David Campbell and acclaimed musicians, at the Centre’s popular monthly open-floor event.

Fri 17 Feb | 10.30am (40mins) | £5/£3 | 7+

You and Me…to the Sea…!

Scottish tales and songs of the sea with Lea Taylor and Heather Yule. Meet selkies, changelings and talkative fishermen on an unforgettable voyage of adventure. Funded by Enterprise Music Scotland. www.emusicscotland.co.uk

Fri 17 Feb | 7.30pm (1hr) | £6/£4 | 14+

Scottish Tales of the Sea and Shore

Learn about the real Selkie of Sule Skerrie from the hearthside of Marion MacRae, based on traditional music, song and story, as told by singer and storyteller Lea Taylor, accompanied by clarsach player and storyteller Heather Yule. An innovative performance guaranteed to delight, enthral and entrance – not to be missed. Funded by Enterprise Music Scotland. www.emusicscotland.co.uk

Sat 18 Feb | 2pm (1hr) | £5 | 5-8yrs

LGBT Families Day: Storytelling for Children

An afternoon of storytelling, aimed at 5-8 year olds, but younger and older children are welcome. The afternoon will explore the diverse makeup of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender families in a child friendly way. The storyteller facilitating these events has worked with LGBT Youth Scotland to create stories that reflect how LGBT families are created and what makes them so special.