MUMS, dads, grand-parents and children enjoyed a week of getting messy as Messy Family Fun came to our cathedral and St Peter’s, Somerstown.

Joseph Crotty, 11, and Bishop Christopher blow soap bubbles at St Peter's Church, Somerstown

Marlet-Nesta Duah Boateng at St Peter's Church

Dozens of families turned up to enjoy art and craft, family workshops, games and worship in the Easter holidays. 

Each session was held in the morning in the cathedral and repeated in the afternoon at St Peter’s. They were led by Lucy Moore and Martyn Payne from Bible Reading Fellowship, and local volunteers.

A new innovation for the Messy Family Fun sessions were workshops during which families could learn new skills together. They included sport, photography, cooking, drama and magic.

Messy Church founder Lucy Moore, from St Wilfrid's, Cowplain, said: "The family skills workshops proved to be a relaxing time when families could concentrate on a slightly longer and more in-depth activity together, from dance and drama to making brass rubbings, carving soap, sewing bags and potting plants.

"One of the most rewarding parts of the week for the team was seeing the pride with which people of all ages displayed what they had created in that time."

The sessions also included parachute games, children's songs and art and craft activities. They took ‘Jesus’ as the main theme and included making catapults, painting on bread and making prayer candles.

A total of 343 people came to the cathedral sessions and 337 people came to the St Peter's ones - an average of just under 70 people each day.

Mum Kirsty Mitchell said: “It has been really good. The kids have asked to come back every day, and the activities really suit them.”

Messy Family Fun was funded by the William Groves legacy which was left to our cathedral. For more details, click here.