In June 2024, on the banks of the River Avon, Grow Batheaston will present a unique and magical arts project to welcome the return of beavers to the area, highlighting the insects that share their riverside home and celebrating their favourite food, the willow.
A creative weekend of activity in Batheaston, with talks and films by beaver experts as well as arts workshops for children and adults celebrating the River Avon and all its inhabitants.
Friday 7th June
3.30pm to 5.30pm
Free exhibition of children’s and young people’s artwork made in workshops with collage artist Marian Hill, willow weaver Julie Starks and filmmaker Aleks Domanski
Friday 7th June
7.30pm
Talk by beaver experts Bevis Watts (author of River Journey: Searching for Wild Beavers and Finding Freedom ) and Emma Fennell Hodson, from Avon Wildlife Trust, with films and talk by award winning biologist and filmmaker Aleks Domanski.
Tickets £5, book here: eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-beavers-tale-beavers-around-batheaston-tickets-884209072137. Doors open 6.30pm.
Saturday 8th June
11am to 4pm
Outdoors at the Riverside in Batheaston free willow weaving workshops for adults and children with artist Julie Starks creating giant insects and using the beavers’ favourite food - willow, also other free workshops - including Make a Beaver’s Tail (Tale) in the company of invited wildlife groups.
A Grow Batheaston Project growbatheaston.co.uk
Also part of Festival of Nature, 1 to 9 June 2024 : bnhc.org.uk/festival-of-nature
photo © Aleks Domanski