Join Halton Libraries for a celebration of the outdoors and our planet using art, stories, talks and performance! Experience the outdoors and learn about going green. Throughout this festival there will be lots of fun and informative events and workshops for you to get involved in.
Artist Rebecca Atherton will be exploring climate change and its effects on the animal kingdom through a series of Love Our Planet workshops where participants will design and create amazing headdresses, depicting great mythological animal god spirits. Each headdress will be accompanied with an environmental pledge and will provoke discussion amongst wearers and viewers. Rebecca works all over the North West and co-runs ArtFull, a participatory and community arts group.
The younger generation will have the opportunity to learn about climate change, the history of protest art and then to create their very own peaceful protest placard in our Save Our Planet workshops lead by artist Colette Whittington. Colette has worked with Tate London and Liverpool and the People’s History Museum and has a passion for social protest and protesting for change through art. Participants will then embark on their very own mini protest in and around our libraries.
Booster Cushion Theatre will be taking us on an ecological adventure across continents and Old Town Bloomers will be exploring the great outdoors with us. Norton Priory’s bee keeper will host a special workshop and Catalyst Science Discovery Centre will explore biodiversity. We also have a series of outdoor story walks, a talk from a nature author and a gardener’s question time, not to mention ‘green’ inspired craft workshops and an online ’10 Days of Green’ challenge and lots more!
Let’s Go Green Festival Booking Links
Half-Term Eco-Craft Workshops
Clay Jewellery Making
Halton Lea Library
Tuesday 1st June – 10.30-11.30am
Free, please book online via the Eventbrite website or at any Halton library. One ticket is for one child and one accompanying adult only.
Suitable for all ages
Make your very own piece of jewellery by imprinting beautiful flowers and greenery into clay and then add colour with paint for the perfect finishing in this fabulous natural craft session.
Plastic Bag Weaving
Widnes Library
Wednesday 2nd June – 10.30-11.30am
Free, please book online via the Eventbrite website or at any Halton library. One ticket is for one child and one accompanying adult only.
Suitable for all ages
What better way to reuse those plastic shopping bags than creating a fantastic coaster that can be reused for years to come!
Seed Bombs!
Halton Lea Library
Thursday 3rd June – 10.30-11.30am
Free, please book online via the Eventbrite website or at any Halton library. One ticket is for one child and one accompanying adult only.
Suitable for all ages
In this eco-art workshop you will be making a seed bomb out of compostable paper. Once made, you can ‘throw and grow’! As the rain falls, the paper composts away, the seeds germinate and grow wherever the bomb is thrown. Why not have a go at guerrilla gardening by throwing your bomb when you’re out and about to create pretty flowers in your community.
Spinning Earths
Widnes Library
Friday 4th June – 10.30-11.30am
Free, please book online via the Eventbrite website or at any Halton library. One ticket is for one child and one accompanying adult only.
Suitable for all ages
Make a super spinning 3D earth mobile to hang up in your home. This eco-craft session is perfect for younger children.
Chester Zoo in the library
Safari Explorers
Widnes Library
Thursday 3rd June – 10.30-11.15am
Free. Please book online via the Eventbrite website or at any Halton library.
Recommended age: under 5 years
This exciting session will take your young people on a ‘journey’ across the African grasslands to discover how it feels, smells and what it sounds like. Along the way we will encounter clues to what we would find living in this fascinating place.
Using a variety of real artefacts, musical instruments, smells and sounds, Chester Zoo rangers will take little ones on a memorable journey across the African grasslands. Children will use all their senses to explore and discover this unusual, noisy, smelly and exciting habitat in the library.
Talking Rubbish
Halton Lea Library
Thursday 3rd June – 1-1.45pm
Free. Please book online via the Eventbrite website or at any Halton library.
Recommended age: 6 years+
Every year the UK produces 31 million tonnes of household rubbish. This workshop focuses on the effects this rubbish is having on our environment and endangered animals, and looks at what we can all do to reduce our impact on the planet, using rainforest and UK shoreline case studies.
That’s a lot of rubbish! But how does this impact our planet and what can we do to reduce this impact? Using a series of interactive activities, the experts from Chester Zoo will explore how rubbish is produced and what impact that rubbish has on our planet. Did you know that a disposable nappy can remain in the ground for up to 450 years? We will be having a look at what actions can be taken to reduce the impact humans are having on the planet and look at what YOU can do to help!
Nature Talks
Nature Author Roy Dennis
Online event
Wednesday 2nd June – 6.30-7.30pm
Free, please book online via the Eventbrite website or at any Halton library
Suitable for adults
Join us for an evening talk with Roy Dennis, one of the UK’s most prominent field naturalists. Listen to him talk about his passion for conservation. There will also be opportunity for the online audience to submit their questions during this fascinating talk.
Roy is originally from Hampshire and for many years was based in northern Scotland. His approach to wildlife and conservation stems from decades of experience working in the field, from climbing trees so that he could ring osprey chicks to handling lynx kittens in Norway – and wanting to smuggle them back to Scotland. His Wildlife Foundation of 25 years’ standing is internationally recognised for its work in conservation and wildlife protection. He is a well-known broadcaster on TV and radio as well as a prolific writer and speaker on conservation issues, and after witnessing decades of species decline, as well as some prominent reintroductions, he is on a mission to help inspire young people to promote greater biodiversity and long-term care for our planet.
The event will take place as a live digital event. After you register, you will receive an email closer to the date with the link to the event.
Gardeners’ Question Time
Runcorn Library
Wednesday 23rd June – 2-3pm
Free, please book online via the Eventbrite website or at any Halton library.
What are the best plants for garden pots? How often should I water my plants? How do I get rid of weeds? Do you have a gardening question? Well, this is the session for you! We have local gardening experts to give you all the answers to your green-fingered questions. Come and have a chat or just simply listen to useful gardening tips and advice.
Our panel members will be Angela Hayler and Millie Allen from The Wonky Garden, a community volunteering garden initiative to ‘sow, grow and go’, and Angela Ball from Widnes Horticultural Society.
Climate Change Talk
Halton Lea Library
Thursday 1st July – 2-3pm
Free, please book online via the Eventbrite website or at any Halton library.
Alison Brough is the Social Value Manager for Wilmott Dixon Construction Ltd, the company who are overseeing the construction of a new phase of buildings at Sci-tech Daresbury. Alison will be talking about the grand challenges in the construction business regarding climate change and the effects of large scale construction on local environments. This event will also include a Q&A session with Alison.
Out And About In Halton: Story Walks
There’s lots of beautiful outdoor spaces in Runcorn and Widnes. Little ones can explore them with us whilst enjoying a story. Come on an outdoor adventure with us!
Story Walk at Wonky Garden
Wonky Garden, Ditton Community Centre
Wednesday 30th June – 10.30-11.30am
Free, please book online via the Eventbrite website or at any Halton library. One ticket is for one child and one accompanying adult only.
Suitable for ages 0-4
Explore the garden and all its amazing flowers and listen to the story of Octopants by Suzy Senior.
Story Walk at All Saints Church Garden
All Saints Church, Runcorn
Thursday 1st July – 10.30-11.30am
Free, please book online via the Eventbrite website or at any Halton library. One ticket is for one child and one accompanying adult only.
Suitable for ages 0-4
This beautiful garden is the venue for our second story walk and we’ll be reading My Pet Star by Corrinne Averiss.
Story Walk at Norton Priory
Norton Priory, Runcorn
Tuesday 13th July – 10.30-11.30am
Free, please book online via the Eventbrite website or at any Halton library. One ticket is for one child and one accompanying adult only.
Suitable for ages 0-4
Our third story walk takes us on an adventure in one of Halton’s most iconic sites. And don’t forget the story!
Story Walk at St Pauls’ Church Garden
St Paul’s Church, Widnes
Thursday 15th July – 10.30-11.30am
Free, please book online via the Eventbrite website or at any Halton library. One ticket is for one child and one accompanying adult only.
Suitable for ages 0-4
Have you got the stamina to join us for our 4th story walk? It’s in the charming garden at St Paul’s.
Bees, Bees, Bees!
We have teamed up with the absolutely brilliant Old Town Bloomers and the innovative B4Biodiversity to bring you three very special family sessions all about the buzziest of insects – bees!
Don’t Step on a Bee Day
Widnes Library
Saturday 10th July – 10.30-12pm
Tickets £3, please book online via the Eventbrite website or at any Halton library
Suitable for ages 8+
This session will celebrate the national Don’t Step on a Bee Day, an awareness day that is observed on July 10 of every year. Don’t Step on a Bee Day focuses on the importance of saving bees and their contribution to the environment. It is a day to value the bees and to appreciate the nation’s beekeepers and their work. In this session, we will look at the different species of bees, including honey bees, and then Andrea from B4Biodiversity will unveil an observational hive which will allow you to see the busy bees within their own environment without disrupting or irritating them. We will also delve into how bees see colour and participants will then draw patterns visible to bees onto large scale flowers.
Honey Day
Ditton Library
Tuesday 20th July – 4-5.30pm
Tickets £3, please book online via the Eventbrite website or at any Halton library
Suitable for ages 8+
What is honey? Why do bees need it? How do bees make honey? Old Town Bloomers and B4Biodiversity will be answering all these questions and more! Participants will have a honey tasting session followed by a lip balm making session using honey. You will also get to design a lip balm label for your very own hand-made lip balm. Buzzin!
Mind Your Own Beeswax Day
Halton Lea Library
Tuesday 27th July – 10.30-12pm
Tickets £3, please book online via the Eventbrite website or at any Halton library
Suitable for ages 8+
We will introduce you to bees and beeswax in this fun session. Old Town Bloomers and B4Biodiversity will explain how and why bees make wax. They will look into why beeswax is important and why it is better for the environment when used in products like candles and cosmetics. Participants will then get to make a hand-rolled beeswax candle and their very own beeswax hand balm.
Old Town Bloomers are a community gardening group, based in Runcorn. B4Biodiversity are a collective of individuals that promote the importance of biodiversity in the urban area.
Love Our Planet Workshops (Adults)
Halton Lea Library
Tuesday 29th June, Tuesday 6th July and Tuesday 13th July – 11-1pm
£3 for a place on all three workshops. Please book online via the Eventbrite website or at any Halton library
Love Our Planet Workshops (Children)
Halton Lea Library
Saturday 10th July, Saturday 24th July, Saturday 31st July – 11-1pm
£3 for a place on all three workshops. Please book online via the Eventbrite website or at any Halton library.
Recommended age: 9+
We have commissioned artist Rebecca Atherton to explore climate change in a unique and innovative way through a series of creative workshops for both adults and children.
Rebecca specialises in creating and constructing theatrical headdresses that represent mythological goddesses and animals.
In her workshops, Rebecca will delve into the effects of climate change and look at its impact on the animal kingdom. Workshop participants, over a series of three workshops, will design and create visually striking headdresses, depicting and celebrating great mythological animal god spirits. Each headdress will be accompanied with an environmental pledge and will provoke discussion amongst wearers and viewers. Headdresses will then be displayed throughout Halton to inspire and generate discussion around this highly relevant and immediate environmental topic.
These workshops are perfect for anyone interested in climate change, art, animals and our natural world. It is a series of three workshops, with participants attending all three in order to deeply explore this topic and produce valuable creative pieces.
Discover Pollinators with Norton Priory
Bee Workshop with Norton Priory
Widnes Library
Friday 16th July – 10.30-11.30am
Tickets £3. Please book online via the Eventbrite website or at any Halton library.
Recommended age: adults
Join the experts at Norton Priory to delve into the world of beekeeping. Learn about honey bees and other pollinators in the insect world and then have a go at beeswax candle rolling. Beeswax is a natural wax produced by honey bees. Beeswax candles are known to neutralise pollutants, helping to eliminate dust, odors, and mold in the air.
Family Entertainment with Booster Cushion Theatre
Old MacDonald and the Three Pigs Plus…
Widnes Library
Saturday 24th July – 10.30-11.30am
£2.50 per ticket. Please book online via the Eventbrite website or at any Halton library.
Recommended age: under 5 years
Booster Cushion Theatre is bringing its performance of ‘Old McDonald and the Three Pigs Plus…’ to Widnes library! This funny show weaves the well-known story of the Three Pigs with the easy to learn rhyme Old McDonald Had a Farm. Featuring a huge book with life-size pop ups and bright colourful pages and silly animal props, this show is perfect for our Let’s Go Green festival as it explores healthy eating, fruits and vegetables, harvest food from fields and animals living on the farm.
The Three Pigs are fed up with singing “Eee aye eee aye oh!” every day and bravely decide to move away from Old McDonald’s farm. Join the kind farmer and all of their animal friends in helping the little pigs build homes of their own, but beware, the big bad wolf is on the prowl. Can you help save the day and stop the wolf blowing all the pigs hard work away?
A colourful and fun interactive show, full of props, pop ups and audience participation! The children help identify farm produce, sing and take part as the animals on the farm.
Book In Danger
Halton Lea Library
Saturday 24th July – 3-4pm
£2.50 per ticket. Please book online via the Eventbrite website or at any Halton library.
Recommended age: 5-9 years
The diary of an oak tree will be brought to life by its bookmark in this captivating performance. Using a giant diary containing stunning illustrations, the audience will trace the journey of the oak tree on a huge map. We will follow Oakie the oak tree on his journey as he visits his relatives in the rainforest. But beware! The chopper is also hot on the trail.
The world’s oceans are crossed by plane and boat, and colourful characters are met in luxury hotels. Our guide to the diary, the larger than life Bookmark, will introduce us to some of the animals and trees to be found in the rainforest and explain how their habitat is being destroyed. This engaging show, for older children, explores the importance of preserving the rainforest and the dangers for all if we continue to deforest.
Recycled Art
Book Sculpture Workshop with Artist Kate Bufton
Widnes Library
Thursday 27th July – 10.30-11.30am and 12-1pm
£2 per ticket. Please book online via the Eventbrite website or at any Halton library.
Recommended age: 5+ years
Artist Kate Bufton’s practice revolves around old unwanted books. Kate has always been fascinated with the element of recycling and making something new from something old. In these two sessions, children will get the chance to make their very own beautiful book sculpture and to understand the importance of recycling.
Save Our Planet Workshops and Mini Protest
Save Our Planet: Placard Art Workshop and Mini Protest (younger children)
Halton Lea Library
Wednesday 28th July – 10.30-12.30pm
£3 per ticket. Please book online via the Eventbrite website or at any Halton library.
Recommended age: 5-7 years
Save Our Planet: Placard Art Workshop and Mini Protest (older children)
Widnes Library
Thursday 29th July – 10.30-12.30pm
£3 per ticket. Please book online via the Eventbrite website or at any Halton library.
Recommended age: 8+ years
In these unique workshops commissioned especially for our Let’s Go Green festival, the younger generation will have the opportunity to learn about climate change, the history of protest art and then to create their very own peaceful protest placard. The sessions will be led by artist Colette Whittington. Colette will provoke discussion around climate change in an imaginative and engaging way and will introduce examples of protest art throughout history such as The Paris Collective, Emory Douglas and Keith Haring. Participants will then create their own climate change placard using photomontage, collage, drawing and printmaking with stencils and block printed letters and typography. At the end of the session we will then embark on our very own mini protest in and around our libraries to spread the message of action for climate change.
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