Children visiting a St Helens shopping centre were encouraged to let their imagination soar when they created decorative mini bird boxes at a free craft workshop.
Youngsters visiting Church Square Shopping Centre used glitter, glue, buttons and colourful gems to decorate homes for their feathered friends, and were able to take their creations home.
The Shopper Whopper Children’s Club event proved a hit with the young visitors, including little Lucy Nield, six from Parr, St Helens.
“It’s been really good and I made my bird house with lots of different things,” said Lucy, a pupil at Allanson Street Primary School in St Helens.
Mum Shirley, who was visiting the centre with Lucy and ten-month-old son Matthew, was grateful for a free, fun event during half term. “We saw the event advertised on Church Square’s Facebook page and came down especially for it,” she said.
“Lucy loves arts and crafts and it’s great to have a fun activity that doesn’t cost anything. It’s brilliant and has broken up the week for us.”
Jean Gallagher took her two grandsons Lucas, two and Josh, eight, a pupil at St Anne’s Primary School in Sutton, to the workshop after reading about it in her local paper.
“We came by bus because that’s a novelty for the boys as they go everywhere by car,” she said.
“The boys have really enjoyed it and it was special for me as I remember doing this with my older grandson who is now a teenager and has still got his wooden bird box.”
During the special event youngsters were also entertained by Church Square’s mascot Shopper Whopper who put in several appearances, meeting and greeting families.
Grandma Sandra Sands, from Sutton, was at the shopping centre to buy a holy communion dress for her grand-daughter Faye McCully, eight and came across the workshop.
Faye, a pupil at St Julie’s Catholic Primary School in Eccleston, and her little sister Rosie, four, enjoyed making their bird boxes as sparkly as possible.
“Faye and Rosie really enjoyed it and made their bird boxes so glittery and sparkly that Katy Perry would be proud,” said Sandra.
Church Square Shopping Centre manager Steven Brogan said: “Our Shopper Whopper events always prove very popular, particularly at this time of year when the weather may not be good and families are looking for things to do.
“Our craft workshops provide free, creative fun and parents tell us it really helps to keep the kids occupied. Being able to take their bird box creations home is the icing on the cake.”
More details on what’s happening at www.churchsquaresthelens.co.uk.