children Archives - Blackpool Social Club

14 Sep

Blackpool to host Word Fest Literature Festival

Linda Hampton0 CommentsLiterature & Spoken Word, Theatre, Dance & PerformanceBlackpool, book, books, bookshop, celebrity, children, Comedy, entertainment, families, literature, podcast, Spoken Word, Winter Gardens

Blackpool is getting its very own literature festival this autumn in Word Fest, a weekend of literary events and spoken word where literary heavyweights and popular authors host events side by side with celebrity writers. Running between Friday 7th until Monday 10th October 2022, the festival takes the form of a series of ticketed events to hear authors talk about their love of writing and their books, answer questions and sign books for fans. Most ticket prices include a copy of the latest publication by the author. Hosted and held in the Winter Gardens and co-produced by Kirkham's independent coffee…

15 Jul

A Tiny Forest has sprung up in Mereside

David Simper0 CommentsEnvironment and NatureBlackpool, children, environment, mereside estate blackpool, re-forestation, tiny forest, tree planting, trees, urban forestry, woodland

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] A tiny forest of 600 new trees has been planted in Mereside as part of an initiative in partnership with the environmental charity, Earthwatch Europe, which works to connect people to the natural world and the OVO Foundation, the charitable arm of OVO Energy. Earthwatch, Blackpool Council volunteers and pupils from Mereside Primary Academy all joined forces to plant a new woodland for the future. A tiny forest, tennis court sized, will in the course of time provide a nature-rich habitat area benefiting Blackpool’s urban wildlife. The team planted the trees in Bowness Avenue, creating a dense fast-growing native…

25 May

Author interview: Katie Clapham

Linda Hampton0 CommentsLiterature & Spoken Wordbook, books, bookshop, children, fiction, library, local author, teenage fiction, teens, young adult fiction

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]St Anne’s bookseller and author Katie Clapham chatted to Linda Hampton about her latest YA book, Three Girls. As I walk into Storytellers Inc., the delightful independent bookshop on The Crescent in St Annes, co-owner and author Katie Clapham is happily sorting new books to display. The bookshop, opened with her mother in 2010, was named Vintage Independent Bookshop of the Year in 2013 amongst other industry awards, while Katie has won several awards for her own bookselling achievements. But Katie is also a writer. I’m here to interview her about her latest novel for young adults entitled Three Girls.…

06 Dec

Little Spud Shines Magic Light on Diversity

Linda Hampton0 CommentsLiterature & Spoken Wordbooks, children, childrens book, community, families, literature

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Marie Stell’s book about her brother, Christopher, who is on the autistic spectrum, delights and inspires. Unless we know someone who is on the autistic spectrum, it is hard to really know what life is like for them. We still have far to travel to ensure that people who feel different to their peers can be accepted by others around them. Marie Stell’s book is helping to change those perspectives. Little Spud is a friendly blue dragon and like no other. He is on the autistic spectrum and sometimes life can be difficult. But then something happens - Little Spud finds…

05 Feb

Aunty brings Aardman Animations workshops to the Fylde Coast

Blackpool Social Club0 CommentsLocal News, Visual Arts & ExhibitionsAardman, animation, Blackpool, children, clay, families, Fylde Coast, model making, online, workshops, wyre

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] This February, Blackpool-based community arts group Aunty Social are hosting online model making workshops with the fantastic Aardman Animations. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="2/3"][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text] Fylde coast residents are invited to join expert model maker Jim Parkyn for a fun, hands-on clay modelling workshop where participants will make their very own model of Shaun the Sheep – The unusually bright and clever sheep who lives at Mossy Bottom farm. [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text] Jim has been a freelance sculptor and model maker for Aardman Animations for over 20 years. He's lead on several series of Shaun the Sheep and you can see his work in a variety of Aardman…

01 Feb

New treats for young readers from Purple Parrot Publishing

Blackpool Social Club0 CommentsLiterature & Spoken Word, Local Newsbooks, children, library

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Fylde coast-based Purple Parrot Publishing has some new titles for children and young people that are sure to brighten up winter lockdown. Take a look below to discover the latest books from Purple Parrot, these great titles are all out now.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text] Charlie and Mrs Wigglebottoms’s Leg Mike Taylor, with illustrations by Tony Holland Charlie and Mrs Wigglebottom’s Leg is a children’s book for ages 4-8 years (although it is perfect for Cocker Spaniel lovers everywhere). Charlie is a typical, young Cocker Spaniel. He leaves the kennels to live with his new owners, Walter and Heather, and their boys.…

30 Jun

Grateful for being creative in lockdown by Linda Hampton

Linda Hampton0 CommentsColumns & Opinion, Literature & Spoken Wordartist, Blackpool, books, children, performance

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]I’m a Blackpool based writer and actor, and grateful to be in the creative arts right now. Despite the extreme feeling of loss we all have at the closure of theatres due to the current pandemic, and who knows when and if they will all reopen, I am glad to have my own creativity to keep me sane. In March I knew, being in the high risk category from Covid-19, I would be shielding for the foreseeable future. So I contemplated how to use this peculiar freeze frame of my life. How could I adapt my skills and keep going…

06 Jul

Wordpool’s Most Marvellous Family Day

Claire Griffiths0 CommentsVisual Arts & ExhibitionsBlackpool, books, children, community, dance, entertainment, families, heritage, Music, performance, poetry, Stanley Park, The Grand Theatre, wordpool

This Saturday, tomorrow in fact, Stanley Park hosts the excellent Wordpool Family Day. If you have never been, this year is definitely the year to visit with the sunshine blazing down and 2018 going down in history as "that long hot summer". The event is so amazing and FREE, visitors to the park will need to register to take part in the days activities but once you have you are in - expect a treat. This years event is circus themed alongside Circus250 celebrations so expect Big Top Marvels and The Mayhem Schools Project, a promise of the Flying Sun…

07 May

Peppa Pig’s Adventure

Jill Reidy0 CommentsTheatre, Dance & PerformanceBlackpool, children, entertainment, families, Peppa Pig, performance, The Grand Theatre, Theatre

Peppa Pig and her friends are back in a brand new live show Peppa Pig’s Adventure, featuring a new story, loads of songs and heaps of fun! Produced by leading children’s theatre team Fiery Light, in partnership with licensor Entertainment One (eOne), Peppa Pig’s Adventure marks the ninth consecutive year of Peppa Pig live theatre tours since 2009 and the fifth Peppa Pig stage production in total. Join Peppa as she gets ready to go on an exciting camping trip to the woods with George and her school friends, including Pedro Pony, Suzy Sheep and Gerald Giraffe. With lunch-boxes packed and…

26 Mar

Let’s Party on the Prom

Jill Reidy0 CommentsMusic & GigsBlackpool, children, entertainment, families, Festival headland, Music, Party on the Prom, workshops

The new family festival ‘Party On The Prom’ launches as part of this July's Blackpool Festival. Party On The Prom is Blackpool’s first family festival set to take place at the stunning seaside location, the Tower Festival Headland. Party On The Prom will be bursting with entertainment that all the family can enjoy. Kids and parents alike will be spoilt for choice with a smorgasbord of fun-filled activities including Raver Tots & DJ Slipmatt, tons of music and workshops, a Tiny Tots area, circus skills, arts and crafts, food and drink, and much, much more. Beneath the iconic Blackpool Tower, this debut event…