Free Children’s Theatre Shows Celebrate Five Years of Forest for Cornwall

Children and families in Cornwall are being invited to a free theatre experience this September, celebrating the fifth anniversary of Forest for Cornwall.

The shows will be performed by Squashbox Theatre in Camborne and Newquay, bringing woodland stories to life with puppetry, music and comedy.

Celebrating Five Years of Forest for Cornwall

Forest for Cornwall, delivered by Cornwall Council, has supported the planting of 1.6 million trees across more than 1,000 sites in the Duchy.

Newquay and Camborne were chosen for the performances after residents and town councils strongly backed the scheme. Around 1,500 saplings have been planted locally, alongside 132 street trees in Newquay and 160 in Camborne.

The Forest for Cornwall team has worked with Cornwall Library Service, delivered by Cornwall Council and its library partners, to put the events together.

Tales from the Trees

Craig Johnson from Squashbox Theatre will perform Tales from the Trees. He said:

"Meet Craig, the friendly Forest Ranger and resident tree expert. It's his job to make sure the woods are a peaceful and happy place, but he's having a tough time of it today!

"A cheeky squirrel has stolen his Chocolate Covered Nutty Snack Bar™. His niece Little Red has wandered off the path on her way to Granny's house, the mysterious old Wizard of the Woods is playing tricks again and there are even rumours of a big bad Wolf in the forest!

"Will Craig save the day? Come and find out and along the way learn how to identify different trees, discover the wonder of photosynthesis, meet some friendly forest creatures and encounter crazy characters from folklore and fairy tales!"

Encouraging Children to Connect with Nature

Councillor Sarah Preece, cabinet member with responsibility for Libraries and Culture at Cornwall Council, said:

"These shows sound fantastic. I really hope families enjoy these special events as we celebrate the success of Forest for Cornwall.

"Around 7,500 young people in Cornwall have already signed up to this year's Story Garden-themed Summer Reading Challenge, visiting their local libraries and exploring books that celebrate the great outdoors.

"It's brilliant to see children connecting with nature through reading, and I'm sure these creative performances will further help fuel their imaginations as they learn about trees and wildlife."

When and Where

• Newquay: The first show will take place at the Killacourt, in association with Newquay Library, on Monday, 1st September, 11am to 12pm. This is an outdoor event, so families are advised to dress for the weather and bring a blanket or cushion to sit on. No booking is required.

• Camborne: The second performance will be at Camborne Library on Saturday, 27th September, 10.30am to 11.30am. Places are limited and will need to be pre-booked. Bookings open at the beginning of September, with updates available on Camborne Library's Eventbrite page.

Both shows are suitable for children aged four and above, but all children must be accompanied by an adult.

For more information, call Cornwall Council on 0300 1234 111.