Press Release 6 February 2018
Half Term Fun for all the Family In Wiltshire
VisitWiltshire has put together a selection of events and activities taking place throughout the county over the February Half Term Holidays.
From army assault courses and Stone Age quests to designing posters and bringing 3,000 year old music back to life there’s a host of fabulous February family fun on offer.
Love is in the air at the Kennet & Avon Canal Trust’s floating Visitor Centre, Caen Hill Locks in Devizes. Running from 11am-3pm daily from 10 – 18 February, this family event features everything from making bird feeders and seed hearts to plant at home, to exploring the famous locks and discovering their wildlife with a series of fun trail sheets.
Youngsters can test their skills on a brand new soldier-led assault course at the REME Museum at Lyneham from 13–16 February. The assault course is suitable for children aged 5 to 12. Families will also be able to build an airborne truck with its own parachute, design a REME recovery vehicle, or make trucks to run on an indoor drag-strip in the education area. No pre-booking required and all activities are included in the standard Museum admission fee.
Where better to celebrate the launch of Aardman’s latest film Early Man than at one of the world’s most famous prehistoric sites? Running from 10–18 February, ‘Early Man Quest at Stonehenge’ is a fun new interactive trail. Explore Stonehenge in search of Dug, Hognob and the rest of the Early Man tribe. Follow the clues and complete the quest to uncover centuries of history in one day. There is even an Early Man Mini Model Making Kit for successful adventurers.
There’s a February Half Term Music Workshop with Kaya Drums taking place at Salisbury Museum on 13 February (10am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-4pm), adults £7.50, children £3.60, family ticket £18.50. Sing and drum along to traditional Native American songs from 3,000 years ago, play Australian Aboriginal Clap Sticks, learn African Drumming and play with modern instruments. Stories, dance, games and theatre will be woven throughout each session and everyone is welcome to stay all day or dip in and out.
STEAM – Museum of the Great Western Railway in Swindon is hosting a special Family Activity: Are We Nearly There? for half term on 15 February (10am-midday and 1pm-3pm). Visit the Learning Team at the 'Exploration Station' located right next to the famous locomotive, No. 6000 King George V and discover the wide range of colourful GWR holiday posters that advertised holiday places on the GWR rail network. You'll get to create your own poster for the GWR map as you explore the GWR's use of clever publicity and design. The event is included with the standard admission and there’s no need to book.
Trowbridge Museum is running two family focussed workshops including Crazy Characters on 15 February inspired by the Oliver Twins: Dizzy Series of Computer Games exhibition (6 years +) and Picture Consequences on 16 February, where visitors can help create a gallery of grotesques using just a pencil and their wild imagination (8 years +). Tickets available from 10am daily.
Meet the volunteers of the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust at Chippenham Museum & Heritage Centre to take part in the Canal Days Half Term Workshops on 13 and 15 February. Visitors can have a go at lots of free, fun activities celebrating Chippenham’s local canal. (5-11 year olds). Families can drop in from 10.30am–12pm and 1pm–2.30pm.
Join the Young Chefs Academy at the Vaughan’s Cookery School on 15 February, to learn how to make a ‘beautiful breadany’, a ‘souper soup’, a ‘delicious dinner’ and a ‘perfect pudding’, 10am–3pm, £75.
On the Wiltshire borders, Sir Harold Hillier Gardens near Romsey will have daffodils emerging so visitors can explore a ‘Spring Trail’ from 10 February–29 March. The self-guided family trail is a great way to enjoy the gardens and spot nature’s many signs that spring is definitely in the air.
If you want to escape to Wiltshire for February half term, why not press pause, let time stand still and immerse yourself in the timeless pleasures this beautiful county has to offer.
There are plenty of accommodation options from countryside escape or city break – check out www.visitwiltshire.co.uk/accommodation
For further information or to arrange a press visit please contact Florence Wallace, Travel Trade & PR Manager, flowallace@visitwiltshire.co.uk Tel: 01722 341309 or 07436 588860
Editors Notes:
VisitWiltshire is the official Destination Management & Marketing Organisation for Wiltshire representing 600 partners. It is a public/private sector membership organisation. VisitWiltshire's priority is to grow the county's Visitor Economy by raising awareness of the destination and generating additional tourism visits and spend. Wiltshire's Visitor Economy currently generates an estimated £1.5billion and supports over 29,000 jobs.
Images for Wiltshire’s Timeless Pleasures album can be downloaded from our Flickr gallery via this link https://www.flickr.com/gp/129320754@N03/3952A3. Photos may be used in print and/or online for the promotion of tourism to Wiltshire and any photos used must be credited to www.visitwiltshire.co.uk, unless otherwise stated in the title of the photo. Full terms and conditions can be found here.