THE Dean Heritage Centre at Soudley is opening its highly anticipated Gruffalo Trail over March 31 and April 1.
Visitors will be able to meet the official children's book-inspired Gruffalo character over the opening weekend and see a spectacular woodland trail, says the Centre.
It will depict scenes from the story book and has been painstakingly carved by resident chainsaw artists Clayton Ryder and Gil Parnham, using locally sourced redwood from the Forest.
Opening at the start of the Easter holidays, families will be able to enjoy special interactive trails around the centre, purchase tasty Gruffalo treats in the café and take home their own Gruffalo from the gift shop as the DHC prepares to go Gruffalo-mad for 2012.
PR and event manager Harri Le Claire said: "We're looking forward to being the centre for the Gruffalo and hope that it will encourage tourism in the local area as people plan their 'staycations' in the UK for 2012. The Gruffalo book is internationally renowned and we're sure that visitors will find that the trail is a fitting representation of the book."
The DHC has worked in partnership with local primary schools including Newnham St Peters, Littledean, St Whites Primary and Soudley who have decorated toadstools, butterflies and other insects to decorate the backdrop of each Gruffalo scene. Children will be able to visit the trail and search for the piece of artwork they have painted.
Year 9 Lakers school students are creating an interactive and educational series of activities for the indoor trail including sensory boxes, foot prints and a Gruffalo house. All of the activities will incorporate literacy, maths and science skills.
Year 8 students from Heywood Community School will be providing an interactive science activity in the Gallery.
Education and training officer Joanne Clarke said: "It has been an exciting and rewarding process working alongside local school pupils as they develop activities for other local children."
In addition to the input by local schools, Gloucestershire library staff will be on hand to advice visitors on everything they have to offer at their local libraries for families wishing to invest more time in reading with their children.
The Gruffalo trail will be part of the Centre's annual Easter activities including an egg hunt, indoor Easter trails and visitors can enter a 'name the rabbit' competition.
As a charity organisation, the Centre is still looking for companies to sponsor elements of the trail either with funding or by providing goods in kind – if you can help contact Nathalie via nathalie@deanheritage
centre.com for more details.
For more information visit the website http://www.deanheritagecentre">www.deanheritagecentre.
com or call 01594 822170.