Last Saturday was a whirlwind of flying cardboard tubes, paper cups and empty cereal boxes as I facilitated a creative construction workshop at Chorlton's Big Green Festival. I was invited by Busy Bee Toyshop Co-operative to help the lovely children of South Manchester let their imaginations run wild with the aid of the fantastic creative toy Makedo. The plastic connectors are a bit like split pins crossed with reusable cable-ties and allow the creator to make absolutely anything they can dream up from recycled cardboard and found materials. I had lots of fun preparing for the workshop, creating a menagerie of creatures from the contents of my recycling bin. I was especially fond of Earl Grey, the Rockhopper penguin made from an egg box and a tea packet. The young festival goers and their families produced a wonderful array of animals, vehicles, robots and rockets. The creations are currently on display in Busy Bee's shop window and the best ones have earned their makers a prize!
