SIXTY children built a cardboard boat and created their own whale at a summer holiday club.

James Richardson, 10, and Jenevieve Anderson, 7, in the boat they helped to build

They were at a two-day holiday club hosted by St Jude’s Church in Southsea which took the Biblical story of ‘Jonah and the Whale’ as the theme.

The five to 11-year-olds created a boat out of cardboard that was big enough for 15 children to sit in. They decorated the inside of a tent as the whale that swallowed Jonah in the Bible story.

They also played games outside, took part in craft activities, sang songs, took part in a treasure hunt and heard stories at the free event.

James Richardson, aged 10, from Southsea, said: “It’s hard to pick what I enjoyed the best, because it was all good. But I helped to make the boat from the cardboard boxes and we had a treasure hunt and found chocolate coins.”

His dad Chris Richardson, whose daughter Kate, 7, was also there, said: “We were thrilled to discover there would be a holiday club and actually came back from our holidays to be there. It was two days when they really enjoyed themselves and learnt more about God. There was a real buzz around the place. It seemed very well organised, and there was a real variety of things for them to do.”

The holiday club was run jointly by St Jude’s Church in Palmerston Road and St Simon’s Church in Waverley Road. It was the first joint holiday club between the two churches and volunteers from both congregations helped lead the activities.

Rachel Duff, children, youth and families co-ordinator at St Jude’s, said: “It was great to be able to welcome children and families who don’t necessarily come to church. Everyone seemed to have a great time.

“My husband, Mike, who is the vicar, decided he would be in charge of building the boat, so it became quite a project. It was actually strong enough to sit 15 children in, which was impressive. We used it and the whale as we retold the story of Jonah.

“It was also good to be able to work jointly with St Simon’s Church as we have a lot in common with them. Both churches found the experience energising and encouraging. Hopefully we can do something similar in future years.”