At this time of year it is easy to get wrapped up in the Christmas festivities, stressing about what presents to buy people and worrying if your turkey will fit in the oven. So take a moment to think about what you and your family can do to help wildlife at this time of year. At the Falls of Clyde we are running an event called Elves Workshops. Now elves normally make presents for children but our little elves this year will be making presents for your garden wildlife. Children can come along and dress up as elves and do a variety of craft related activities.

We will be making festive bird feeders using natural materials. Feeding the birds at this time of year can be really important for birds that might be struggling to find food from more natural sources. We will also be helping hedgehogs by encouraging everyone to have a small gap in their fence. This will allow hedgehogs to move freely between gardens giving them a chance to find food and shelter. We are going to be decorating wooden hedgehog-sized door frames which people can take home and use to ‘frame’ their newly created gap ready for hedgehogs awakening in spring.

We’re also going to be learning animal paw prints by making animal paw print giftwrap. Do you know the difference between a badger print and a fox print? It’s especially useful at this time of year because you can often find fresh animal prints in the snow!

Our event runs on Saturday 10^th and Sunday 11^th December. Workshops last 1½hrs and run throughout the day. Booking is essential and can be done by visiting www.TheFallsOfClyde.eventbrite.com. All information regarding pricing and times can be found by visiting the website. It is suitable for all the family and all items made can be taken home for your garden wildlife.

Laura Preston – Falls of Clyde Ranger, Scottish Wildlife Trust
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