It’s that time of year again. Schools are closed, and the summer holidays have officially started.

Amidst the jubilation of our children, I know that some parents will be looking ahead to the next five or so weeks with some trepidation. 

We all love spending more time with our kids, but with work responsibilities and the cost of living, it can be tricky to work out how to fill the holidays, let alone make them enjoyable.

Luckily, there are lots of really great things to see and do in Tameside.

A personal favourite of mine is Portland Basin’s brilliant museum, housed within the restored nineteenth-century Ashton Canal Warehouse in Ashton. 

You can learn about the area’s fantastic heritage, and even explore a 1920s Tameside street. It’s a lovely day out, and the best bit is it’s all completely free.

Tameside Council have also organised a fantastic summer programme, which caters for both a range of indoor and outdoor activities. 

You can find out more on the Tameside Council website, but something that stood out to me was the free Wild at Heart programme. 

This includes foraging and biodiversity days, willow weaving, and even an exploration of folklore and mythical tales in special story tents. 

The whole programme sounds magical, and I’m very grateful to Tameside Council for pulling it all together.

We’re lucky here in Tameside to have some fantastic open spaces like Jet Amber fields, Haughton Dale, Hulmes and Hardy Woods and Werneth Low. 

I know a lot of these spaces like the back of my hand, but still find new things to enjoy when exploring with my family. 

The weather doesn’t always hold out, but sometimes that can be part of the fun (if you don’t mind getting a little muddy!). 

A reminder too that Friends of the Tame Valley will be hosting two River Invertebrate Encounter days on the 9th and 16th of August at Jet Amber Fields and Whittles Meadows River Bank respectively. 

These sessions aim to teach young people (and adults) about the brilliant biodiversity beneath the tame. 

Finally, this weekend, there’s also the long-awaited return of Party in the Park in Victoria Park. 

On Saturday and Sunday there’ll be activities ranging from Country Line Dancing to a Rock & Roll Jukebox Show, plus appearances from Paw Petrol and the couple of the moment – Barbie and Ken!

So, I hope that these local events make the summer holidays a little easier and a lot more fun for families right across the local area, and that when school returns in September, you’ll have made loads of fantastic memories right here in Tameside.