Children invited to ‘tree-mendous’ theatre show celebrating the fifth year of Forest for Cornwall

Forest for Cornwall has teamed up with Squashbox Theatre to bring a special show to children in Camborne and Newquay.

The free shows will celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Cornwall Council initiative Forest for Cornwall, which has supported the planting of 1.6 million trees in over 1,000 locations across the Duchy.

The Forest for Cornwall team and Cornwall Library Service, which is delivered by Cornwall Council and its library partners, have arranged the events to celebrate the milestone anniversary.

Newquay and Camborne were selected for the performances after the local town councils and residents threw their support behind Forest for Cornwall.

Around 1,500 saplings have been planted by residents in the two towns. A further 132 street trees have been planted in Newquay and 160 in Camborne.

Performed by Squashbox Theatre, Tales from the Trees, features puppetry, storytelling, live music and comedy. 

Craig Johnson, from Squashbox, said: “Meet Craig, the friendly Forest Ranger and resident tree expert. It’s his job to make sure the woods are a peaceful and happy place, but he’s having a tough time of it today! 

“A cheeky squirrel has stolen his Chocolate Covered Nutty Snack Bar™. His niece Little Red has wandered off the path on her way to Granny’s house, the mysterious old Wizard of the Woods is playing tricks again and there are even rumours of a big bad Wolf in the forest!

“Will Craig save the day? Come and find out and along the way learn how to identify different trees, discover the wonder of photosynthesis, meet some friendly forest creatures and encounter crazy characters from folklore and fairy tales!”

Councillor Sarah Preece, cabinet member with responsibility for Libraries and Culture at Cornwall Council, said: “These shows sound fantastic. I really hope families enjoy these special events as we celebrate the success of Forest for Cornwall.
 
“Around 7,500 young people in Cornwall have already signed up to this year’s Story Garden-themed Summer Reading Challenge, visiting their local libraries and exploring books that celebrate the great outdoors.
 
“It’s brilliant to see children connecting with nature through reading, and I’m sure these creative performances will further help fuel their imaginations as they learn about trees and wildlife."

The events are suitable for children aged four and above and their families. Children will need to be accompanied by an adult.

The first show will take place at the Killacourt in Newquay, in association with Newquay Library, on Monday, September 1 between 11am and 12pm. 

The second show will take place at Camborne Library on Saturday, September 27 between 10.30am and 11.30am. 

There is no need to book for the Newquay event but please dress for the weather and bring a blanket or cushion to sit on as this is an outdoor event. 

Places on the Camborne event are limited and will need to be pre-booked, with bookings opening at the beginning of September. 

Further information on these events can be found on the Newquay Library and Camborne Library Facebook pages or by calling Cornwall Council on 0300 1234 111.

You can also follow Camborne Library on Eventbrite to be first in line for tickets when the booking page goes live.