Mike O’Leary

Mike is our storyteller at Southampton General Hospital, the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, and the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro.

Mike has been a professional storyteller since 1995. He’s worked in all sorts of settings, from schools to care homes, and has been storyteller in residence at Treloar College for the physically disabled, St John’s Primary School, Gosport and Ashley Infant School, New Milton. As a result, it’s safe to say that he knows a thing or two about what makes a good story.

All of Mike’s stories are true, except for the ones that aren’t, which is most of them. He likes to play tunes on a walking stick flute, and has all sorts of odd items and trinkets that make strange noises to help a story along. He can listen as well – that’s important!

“She always talks about Mike – it’s not so much the story she remembers but him, his box of tricks and his silly jokes.  We have seen Mike and another storyteller in the hospital and it’s had the same effect of cheering her up and making her forget her troubles for a little while”