Friday 29 August 2008

Timbertown

Timbertown is a unique event that takes place every August Bank Holiday in my home town. Tickets for the weekend are sold for one morning only and they are sold out every year. Last year Joshua took part and thoroughly enjoyed himself. This year he returned, along with Maddie, and myself as an adult volunteer helper.

August Bank Holidays will now be our family Timbertown weekend for as long as the event runs. With this year being their 25th anniversary, silver was the main theme and over the course of four days over 300 children, along with their teenage and adult helpers constructed various huts of differing design, size and decor.

In a world that is now suppressing children's creativity and leaving parents in a constant quandry about whether to allow their children to have freedom, Timbertown is an oddity, but the comraderie between the teams and friendly rivalry bring out qualities in the children that reflect the true nature of who they are - creative, funny, wonderful little people.

My team were fantastic. We hammered, we sawed, we nailed and we painted. We helped each other lift things, we nursed sore thumbs, we pulled out splinters and we played together. We had fun, we laughed and we became good friends.

Next year I'll be taking Eleanor along. It's an opportunity for her not to miss. The chance to be expressive and creative, but most of all, free. Free to do the things she would not normally be given the chance to do. The chance to use real tools, run around with complete strangers and have endless, limitless fun with 320 other playmates!

DAY ONE: CONSTRUCTION DAY


DAY TWO: DECORATE THE HUTS


DAY THREE: PLAY DAY


DAY FOUR: DEMOLITION and BONFIRE

4 comments:

Gretchen said...

Oh that looks like fun!

Can I come next year?

TxGambit said...

That looks like so much fun! I am with Gretchen, I want to come next year!

Mitzi Green said...

that is so awesome--i wish we had something like that around here.

TxGambit said...

Hey girlie, I gave you an award. Please stop by and claim it when you can. :)