Halton Nature Watch: Citizen Science & MarketFest (Part 3)

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Updated: 2 hours ago

Following our big, bustling weekend at Halton Fest, we wanted to create space for people to slow down, look a little closer at our local environment, and dive into hands-on conservation and making.

Citizen Science Day – 4th July 2026

On July 4th, we invited the whole team, friends, and local residents to join us at All Saints Church in Runcorn to take a closer look at some of our invertebrate friends away from the bustle of a large festival.

It was a collaborative effort, bringing together Hazlehurst Studios, Animal Teach, Halton Borough Council’s Environmental Services, RECORD (Local Environmental Records Centre), and TCV (The Conservation Volunteers).

Hazlehurst Studios

Our team led creative sessions including cyanotype printing, pebble painting, and colouring-in for all ages.

Hazlehurst cyanotype & pebble painting activities Photo credit: Lauren Quayle

Animal Teach

Naomi and her team provided a fascinating, hands-on look at live invertebrates, giving visitors the chance to study them up close and under microscopes.

Animal Teach microscope & live bug session Photo credit: Lauren Quayle

RECORD

The team taught visitors how to identify and record local invertebrates and wildlife observations to support local biodiversity mapping.

RECORD team sharing wildlife recording tools Photo credit: Lauren Quayle

TCV (The Conservation Volunteers)

TCV highlighted the vital role of local conservation volunteering and how residents can get involved in protecting green spaces.

TCV team chatting with visitors about local conservation and having a go at cyanotype making Photo credit: Lauren Quayle

Across the day, we were thrilled to welcome 43 attendees plus stakeholders, making for an inspiring afternoon of community science and creativity in Runcorn.

A huge thank you to everyone at All Saints Church for being such welcoming hosts and providing a fantastic venue for our Citizen Science Day!

MarketFest – 8th August 2026

In August, we headed over to Widnes for the annual MarketFest—a lively celebration of local music and creatives. We took over a fantastic outdoor space right next to the main music stage, setting up shop for a full day of making, chatting, and connecting with market traders and visitors.

Cyanotypes: Associate Artist Clare Williams, supported by Hazlehurst Camera Collective member Nicky, led cyanotype-making workshops, with over 50 unique prints created throughout the day.
Cardboard Shield Bugs: Studio Artist Rachael Prime created a brand-new bug-making activity for the occasion, putting the spotlight on green shield bugs. Over 45 beautiful cardboard bugs were constructed by enthusiastic visitors! Siobhan from HBC's Environmental Services was an invaluable help and a whizz at making bugs!

Creating cardboard shield bugs and cyanotypes right by the music stage at Widnes MarketFest.

In total, over 100 people took part across the day through cyanotype printing, bug making, and colouring activities.

MarketFest was another brilliant addition to the Culture 26 programme. Being part of the wider cultural programming really enhanced our offer on the day and helped us connect with even more local visitors. It was fantastic to celebrate Halton's vibrant creative scene together and served as another great reminder of why initiatives like Cultivate Halton are so vital. Our sincere thanks to the team at Widnes Market for being such wonderful hosts throughout the day!