Thames Chase invites the local community to celebrate their farming heritage at a Spring Festival event.

Thames Chase is celebrating their farming heritage in their first big event of 2022, the annual Spring Festival. The event which will take place on the Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd April at Thames Chase Forest Centre, will give visitors an insight into the farming heritage of the site, formerly known as Broadfields Farm, with opportunities to view exhibitions and traditional crafters, enjoy a petting farm with Wellgate Community Farm, make recycled planters and plant sunflower seeds, watch music performances with special food at the cafe, enjoy face painting and even welcome a special visitor!

The festival is an annual occurrence which has sadly been halted the previous two years due to the Covid pandemic. This year, the event is back even bigger and will showcase the site’s farming heritage with a special exhibition and launch of interpretation materials created which tell the story of the site to all that visit. The materials were produced in collaboration with Forestry England, Land of the Fanns, National Lottery Heritage Fund, Veolia and the People’s Postcode Lottery.

On Saturday 2nd April, Thames Chase will be celebrating the farming heritage of the site, originally Broadfields Farm, with an exhibition of the past use of the site supported by the interpretation boards around the site. Some special traditional crafts stalls will be demonstrations including a blacksmith and spinning, with opportunities to buy crafted items. Visitors will also be able to enjoy stories and reflections of the fen landscape from a book of personal stories, Fens, Forests and Fields. There will be a special trail for families to explore the story of the site, and even some music for visitors to enjoy over lunch at the cafe.

On Sunday 3rd April there will be a family fun day with a petting zoo with Wellgate Community Farm (slots available for £3.50, for more information visit our website), family craft activities to make recycled planters and plant some cress (£3 per session, drop in), plant sunflowers in the Community Tree Nursery (£3, please pre-book), face painting, traditional games and even a special surprise guest!

Trustee Mary Wright said: “Inspiring all generations to understand the world around them is vital to ensure that the landscape and its heritage are both protected and valued in everyday lives. We are delighted to give the local community an insight into our farming heritage and hope the young and old can come together in a celebration of all the local land has to offer.”