As part of the fun, taking place over three successive Wednesdays starting from 19th August, families will be able to build a canal, dress in traditional boaters costume, search for watery wildlife and enjoy a treasure hunt around the waterway crossroads at Trent Lock.
The events are all being run by volunteers from our ‘Explorers' education programme and will give a taster of the activities available to local schools over the course of the academic year. The newly formed team of volunteers, based at Trent Lock, will be available to go into schools from September to help children explore the wildlife on their nearest canals and bring local history to life.
Sarah Cook, education coordinator for the Canal & River Trust said: “The Waterways Wednesdays will be a great chance to banish any school holiday boredom, getting the kids out into the fresh air, learning about their local canals and having some fun along the way.
“Trent Lock's a really lovely spot, bursting with wildlife and with lots of historical features, so whether it's dressing as a 19th Century ‘Navvy' or searching for watery creatures, these events will give a great opportunity to get out there and explore.
“Our team of volunteers are really looking forward to meeting lots of local families, helping to inspire them and get their imaginations going, and we hope these events will be just the start of a very busy and fun year.”
The events each take place between 11am and 2pm and details of the activities are:
- 19 August – Navvy's v Boaters (Build a Canal, Boat Costumes and Load the Boat)
- 26 August – Wild and Wacky (Habitat Activities)
- 2 September – Trailblazers (Guided trail around Trent Lock with a twist. Learning about this amazing place in a fun way)
The Explorers education programme offers a range of fun learning activities and visit ideas to bring local history and nature to life. The education volunteers offer free themed workshops in school and out on the towpath along with downloadable lesson plans and resources to support a visit to the canal. All activities and materials are linked to the National Curriculum.
For further resources and activities for schools, group leaders and children go to www.canalriverexplorers.org.uk. Schools wanting to book a session with the Trent Lock Explorers team can contact Sarah Cook on 07715 377788 or [email protected].
