IT was half-term fun at the Shires shopping centre in Trowbridge when free craft workshops helped entertain and educate children on their half-term break.

On Monday this week, there was a lively balloon modelling workshop for much of the day with Dave Hickory.

Giraffes, swans and even poodles were crafted out of the stretchy material, much to the delight of the children in

sessions

Shopping centre manager

Sarah Louise Moore said: “There were queues for all the sessions with full tables for the craft ones. The face painting with Lynne Carpenter is always popular – they queued up before she had set up.

“She did tigers and all sorts and if she doesn’t know what the animal is she will Google it as some of the requests can be obscure.

“Lynne is a very talented lady.”

Parents, she said, could find school holidays difficult in finding things to do so the activities were popular as people in Trowbridge knew they would be on at half-term.

She said: “It has gone really well. The week has has been very successful, especially with the puppet workshop.

“The museum’s learning and outreach officer David Birks organised that one and the children were thrilled when they made a simple birdy puppet.

“He also did our pumpkin carving workshop in the autumn.

“We always put on three activities a week in the holidays. There will be one for Mother’s Day where children can make a present for their mum, one for Father’s Day, and then there’s Easter and of course May half-term and the summer holidays.”

She said: “We’re a community shopping centre and we like to give something back.”