Good, wholesome fun at Bishop's Stortford's Holiday Bible Week

Around 500 children flocked to Bishop’s Stortford College Pre-Prep School for Holiday Bible Week and enjoyed a programme of fun-filled activities.

The town’s churches have teamed up to organise the five-day holiday club each summer for the past 26 years. The event is so popular that it has inspired spin-offs in Cheshunt, Enfield and even further afield in north Wales and Scotland.

Throughout the week the children, aged 5 to 11, were looked after by around 170 volunteers who put on entertainment centred on the theme of ‘navigation’, such as craft workshops, singing classes, games, storytelling sessions and eating competitions.

The youngsters were already familiar with some of the activities on offer, such as rounders and parachute games, but they also had the chance to encounter new experiences in the form of Makaton classes.

Richard Townsend, a Liberal Democrat Bishop’s Stortford town councillor, organised and managed the puppetry team. He said: “The children got quite invested and learned a whole variety of things. It was just good, wholesome fun.”

On Thursday evening, the children invited their parents to see what they had been up to and Stortford mayor Cllr Norma Symonds joined in with the fun. She was featured in a show where she spoke with a talking toy giraffe which was brought to life by Richard as a puppeteer.

“The children loved seeing a local dignitary being interviewed by a brightly coloured puppet,” said Richard.

Planning is already under way for next year’s Holiday Bible Week. Each summer it costs £26,000 to put on the event.

“The local churches contribute a bit and we encourage parents to give if they’re able to – we don’t push them too hard,” said Richard.

“The volunteers don’t get paid. They just get the joy of the event and seeing the children having a fantastic time.”