Halton Nature Watch: Slugs, Sculptures & Halton Fest (Part 2)
Updated: 9 hours ago
Following the educational work in schools, Hazlehurst Studios took on the challenge of launching the public engagement arm of Halton Nature Watch. Our goal was simple: find creative, eye-catching ways to spark conversations about local wildlife and celebrate Halton's wonderful green spaces.
To make the project as accessible as possible, we launched a dedicated Halton Nature Watch webpage, set up Eventbrite listings, and began sharing regular updates across our social channels.
Launching at Halton Fest (June 6th & 7th, 2026)
Having attended Halton Fest the previous year, we were thrilled to return—this time inside a dedicated creative marquee supported by Cultivate Halton and Halton Borough Council’s Culture Officer, Louise Nulty.
Knowing we needed something unmissable to draw people in, studio artists Rachael Prime and Claire Pitt got their heads together to plan our public activities.
Meeting Max & Limy
Rachael had set her heart on creating a large-scale slug sculpture, and the idea quickly took on a life of its own! Through a process of trial, error, and plenty of imagination, giant friendly neighbourhood slugs Max and Limy were born.
You can read all about the journey of bringing these magnificent molluscs to life on Rachael’s Substack post.
'Slug Grub' & Risograph Recycling
Taking inspiration from Rachael's sculptures, Claire designed an interactive activity called 'Slug Grub'—a hands-on colouring and collage workshop based on all the things slugs love to eat (including, as we learned, other slugs on occasion!).
In keeping with our commitment to eco-friendly printing, Claire produced the collage sheets on our studio Risograph printer using donated and recycled paper stock.
Caption: Festival-goers getting creative with the 'Slug Grub' collage sheets - Image Credit Lauren Quayle
The Festival Impact
The response over the two days was beyond anything we had prepped for:
100+ Slug Grub Collages Created: We ran out of prepped materials early and had to improvise on the spot to keep up with demand!
2,000+ Visitors: Over two days, more than 2,000 people passed through the creative marquee to engage with local art and nature.
A Civic VIP: Even the Mayor of Halton stopped by for a visit and was quite taken with Max the Slug!
The Mayor of Halton with our artist Rachael Prime, Max the Slug and Naomi from Animal Teach! Image credit: Lauren Quayle
We were in great company throughout the festival alongside the Hazlehurst Camera Collective, who were running a nature-themed cyanotype activity that made a brilliant addition to our own workshops! There were so many marvellous things happening inside the creative tent across the two days—including our full Halton Nature Watch team with Animal Teach and HBC's Environmental Services—and it was brilliant to showcase all of us together in one vibrant space. You can read the Camera Collective's full recap of the event on Read Here.
The team from Animal Teach in action! Image credit: Lauren Quayle
What's Next?
Halton Fest was just the beginning of our summer tour across the borough.
Stay tuned for Part 3, where we dive into Citizen Science Day at All Saints Church, MarketFest, EcoFest, and our upcoming nature-themed Snap & Socials!
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