DOZENS of children spent half-term enjoying a whole host of canal-themed activities held at the Chippenham Museum and Heritage Centre this week.

Volunteers from the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust were on hand on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday to help run workshops which are now in their fourth year.

During the workshops children and their parents had the chance to create wooden models of narrow boats, create lace plates, print T-shirts and do some brass rubbing.

“They have loved it, it’s been brilliant,” said Val Melville, the education and learning officer with Wilts & Berks Canal Trust.

“We’re delighted that Chippenham Museum and Heritage Centre let us use their premises because they have a wonderful educational room and it’s nice to be in doors at this time of year.

“We try and get children interested in the canal trust from an early age and also try and encourage the parents to join in.

“The more members we have the more it shows we have community support when applying for grants.”

The Wilts & Berks Canal Trust is a charitable organisation working to preserve, conserve and improve the route of the Wilts & Berks Canal from Wiltshire through Swindon and into Oxfordshire.

Melissa Barnett, the curator of the Chippenham Museum and Heritage Centre, said: “It’s one of our most popular events, people come back year after year.

“Children can learn about the canal trust and, as a museum, we’re very keen to support them.”