v THE HERALD - Your Community Magazine v 9th October 2025 • The HERALD • Page 57 Services offered: Private Tuition Home-Schooling Alternative Provision Exam Entry Coaching and Mentoring Phone: 07751 083447 Email: office@stgeorgeseducation.com Website: www.stgeorgeseducation,com KIDS ZONE Enjoy Autumn and Winter at Testwood Lakes Nature Reserve Autumn and Winter are a great time to visit Testwood Lakes in Totton as the leaves on the trees change colour and a range of birds return for the winter a er a very long journey. Hampshire IOW Wildlife Trust sta and volunteers will be giving families a warm welcome and there is plenty of fun to be had for children of all ages. For children aged 1.5-5 years there are weekly Forest School sessions on Monday mornings 9.30am-11.30am. Families can book ahead for a 6 week term (£39) and children can cook on a camp re, use tools to make things from wood and play in nature. Every last Saturday of the month 10am-12noon families are invited for a Wildlife Tots session themed around a story with some exploring and cra ing outside. Wildlife Tots is aimed at 2-5 years and cost £5 a session. For even younger ones (0-2 years) there is a weekly Nature Tots and Babies session every Tuesday morning 10.30am-12noon. ere are buggy walks, cra s, sensory play and songs for tots and babies. and follow the green signs up to the Education Centre. To nd out more and book please visit: www.hiwwt.org.uk/events, visit Facebook: Testwood Lakes Nature Reserve and Education Centre or email: testwoodlakes@hiwwt.org.uk Nature Tots and Babies cost £4 a session. For older ones every last Saturday of the month there are activities for 5-15 years Wildlife Watch, 2pm-4pm and Wildlife Rangers for 12-18 years, 2pm-4pm. Young people can learn more about wildlife and take part in activities to help wildlife such as making a bird box or taking part in a conservation task with tools. Summer Fun in the Wonder Zone from the Parish of Dibden St Andrew’s Church in Dibden Purlieu runs a Holiday Club each summer, and 2025’s was Wonder Zone. Each of the three mornings had a new ‘Jesus is my...’ theme: Jesus is my Maker, Jesus is my Light and Jesus is my Friend. Over 40 local children attended. Over three mornings in late August volunteer leaders, including 15 teenagers, joined forces to lead children with messy challenges, worship songs, outdoor games, cra activities and onstage dramas. Church volunteers created a Mission Control stage set with working TV screen and alarm buttons, a time machine, and a splatboard for messy challenges. Each day’s theme was linked to creative activities. Glitter imitated the stardust of creation to show how Jesus made us; bubble making with loo rolls and nets helped children to see that Jesus is our light; and beebots were used to show how Jesus can be our friend. Beebots have to follow their programming, but human beings can choose to follow the light of Jesus and be his friends. On Sunday 31st August, the Holiday Club Celebration Service was attended by about 240 people (173 adults and 68 children), which was a huge encouragement for the church and Holiday Club leaders. e service featured children’s worship songs, a messy challenge, a short talk and a dedication ceremony for two of the children who attended Holiday Club and their mum. e band played songs from the Wonder Zone and included teenage leaders from the club. Youth Minister James Willett worked with Worship and Youth Intern Isaac Ashley to plan the event, and James even composed a theme song with Isaac and a teenage leader, ‘Who made the Rockets Zoom?’ James said: “We began preparing for Wonder Zone at the start of 2025 and we’re delighted with how everything has come together. Thank you to the amazing team of volunteers for all of your hard work and servant-hearted leadership! This year we were inundated with boys – final bookings included 10 girls and 26 boys, with more added during the week. We’re so grateful for everyone who’s given their time and expertise to make these three days so memorable. The Holiday Club is one of the high points of the year for us as a church, and a number of the children have come back after last year’s club, but it is also encouraging to have received bookings from many families who are new to us. Jesus is our Maker, our Light and our Friend, and we’d want everyone to have a chance to know that.” e drama team used the time machine to meet Bible characters, the splatboard featured a pair of astronauts with spaces for faces – ready for shaving-foam pies – and the main theme and content was sourced from Scripture Union. Family fun at Testwood Lakes Luke’s spaceman costume (Photo: Ben Pennells) Hannah’s messy challenge (Photo: Ben Pennells) ere are opportunities to see wildlife through bird watching and pond dipping activities. Adult accompaniment is essential for Wildlife Watch but not Wildlife Rangers, and the cost is £5 per session. Parking is available at the Education Centre. Please ignore the rst building and car park on the right Don’t Forget to Buy Your Bags for the Halloween Treat Trail It’s nearly time to dust o those spooky costumes ready for this year’s Halloween Treat Trail in Hythe! To join in the fun, pop into Meeple Play Cafe or Toys Ahoy to buy your trail bag and map (£3.50 each) from 11th October. On Saturday 25th October take your trail bags down to Hythe between 3pm and 6pm; follow the map inside ticking o all the shops enroute and collecting a treat to pop in your bag from each along the way! ere will also be fairground rides and stalls in the village.
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