October Half Term Holiday Activities at the Garden!

Half Term Holiday Activities at Caldmore Community Garden

Free Entry!

Wednesday 29th October // 11am -2pm

Lantern Making workshop with Sam Hale from Bostin’ Arts, no booking required!

Thursday 30th October // 11am – 2pm

Powered by Can – art workshops for all the family! No booking required!

Friday 31st October // 11am – 2pm

Movie screening of a movie about wizards at a School of Magic (booking required)

11am – 2pm

Followed by Harry Potter Event, 5pm – 7pm Free entry!

Saturday 1st November // 11am – 12.45pm & 1.15pm – 3pm

Dance & movement workshop with Autin Dance (booking required)

phone: 07384112507

email: caldmoregarden@gmail.com

Gardening workshop with Garden Organic

Encouraging Biodiversity with Garden Organic on Tuesday 21st October 2025

Garden Organic will be delivering a workshop at Caldmore Cummunity Garden on Tuesday 21st October
12pm – 3pm

Garden Organic workshop at Caldmore Community Garden
21st October
12-3pm
Encouraging Biodiversity
Trainer: Caroline Nettleford

– The importance of biodiversity for your growing and the
environment
– How to make your garden more biodiverse and wildlife
friendly
– Choosing plants and growing methods to attract different species

please book your free space emailing caldmoregarden@gmail.com or WhatsApp on 07384112705

This workshop is free and funded through National Lottery Community Fund

Festival of Lights 2025

We are excited to announce this year’s Festival of Lights programme!

Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th November 2025

Caldmore Village Festival presents : Festival of Lights 2025

A weekend of creativity! Free! 8th-9th November

A weekend of creativity and performing arts in Caldmore to light up all the community!

Saturday 8th November 2025

4.30pm // Family Lantern making workshop, with artist Daya Bhatti. 5+ with adult supervision (email caldmoregarden@gmail.com or whatsapp 07871813252)

6pm // Mr Shadow: Hand Shadow performance by Drew Colby

7pm Hand Shadow workshop

7.30pm // Fire Show with Helter Skelter

Sunday 9th November 2025

5.45pm // (meet at the garden)

6pm // Lantern Procession with RSVP Bhangra Band, B’Opera & Thingumajig Theatre

Come dressed up & light up the night!!!

7.30pm // Ghost Caribou performance with Thingumajig Theatre

Doors open half-an-hour before performance time.

The café will be open with drinks and refreshments

With thanks to National Lottery Community Fund, Arts Council England, Black Country Touring and The New Art Gallery Walsall

Autin Dance Theatre Announced as Associate Artistic Company at Caldmore Community Garden

This collaboration celebrates our shared commitment to community-rooted arts, creativity and storytelling!

All photographs taken by Kate Jackson https://www.katejacksonphotography.co.uk/

Caldmore Community Garden is delighted to announce Autin Dance Theatre as our new Associate Artistic Company. We’re excited to have Autin Dance on board to bring new and inspiring elements to our annual Festival of Lights procession.

Our ongoing work with Autin Dance Theatre follows a series of successful creative projects, iFestival of Lights in 2023 and 2024, where Autin Dance Theatre captivated audiences with roaming and stage performances featuring the iconic Brimstone the Dragon and Echo the Sea Giant from Out of the Deep Blue.

As part of this year’s Festival of Lights 2025, Autin Dance Theatre will be working with Year 5 pupils at Caldmore Primary Academy to create a choreographed movement piece for the annual lantern procession through Caldmore.

In addition, there will be two opportunities for families to also take part in the lantern procession and learn some choreographed movement with Autin Dance Theatre during our Garden Saturday workshops

These free, creative sessions are open to children, parents, carers, and local residents of all ages. Together we’ll explore movement, storytelling, and simple performance techniques to build confidence, connection, and shared celebration. Everyone is welcome!

Whether you’ve danced before or not!

Together we’ll shape the light and movement of the Festival of Lights Lantern Procession!

Dates: Saturday 25 October & Saturday 1 November
Times: 11am–1pm and 1pm–3pm (two separate workshops for families to sign up to – please look on social media for sign up links)
Location: Caldmore Community Garden

With thanks to Arts Council England for funding this project

About Autin Dance Theatre

Autin Dance Theatre is an award-winning, innovative dance company and registered charity

based in Birmingham, UK, under the artistic direction of acclaimed choreographer Johnny Autin.

ADT’s mission is to inspire, educate, and drive positive social change through thought-provoking

and engaging multi-disciplinary arts activities. The company actively connects with local

communities, participants, and audiences, delivering work in theatres, public outdoor spaces,

and unconventional settings.

As a collaborative ensemble known for its unique blend of contemporary storytelling, striking

physicality, and large-scale designs, ADT creates socially inclusive and mass- participatory

movement projects across the UK and internationally. From dynamic outdoor processions to

immersive static performances, the company transports audiences on unforgettable journeys. Its

critically acclaimed productions include Out of the Deep Blue, Street Games, Brimstone the

Dragon, Parade – The Giant Wheel, and Light Up Fest, all of which have garnered a strong

reputation for impactful community engagement and artistic excellence.

In 2025, ADT is performing Up in the Sky, a groundbreaking new aerial dance production

featuring a colossal 7-metre rig, exploring themes of displacement, resilience, and belonging.

autindt.co.uk

@AutinDT

For full details about the company please visit: autindt.co.uk

Autin Dance Theatre media contacts:

Artistic Director Johnny Autin johnny@autindt.co.uk +44 (0) 755 798 1497

Autin Dance Theatre CIO | Birmingham, UK |T: +44 (0) 755 798 1497| hello@autindt.co.uk

autindt.co.uk | @AutinDT | Registered Company No 10824986 | Charity No 1210281

Festival Coordinator Kirsten Tranter kirsten@autindt.co.uk

Creative Producer Annalise McIntyre annalise@autindt.co.uk

Outdoor Arts Consultant Adam Towndrow adam@autindt.co.uk

Education & Participation Coordinator Natasha Boyes natasha@autindt.co.uk

Communication & Marketing Paulina Ozynska paulina@autindt.co.uk

Autin Dance Theatre CIO | Birmingham, UK |T: +44 (0) 755 7

Harry Potter Night!

Friday 31st October 2025, 5-7pm

Get your wands ready and your cloaks on – it’s time for a Harry Potter evening at the Garden

Come dressed as your favourite witch or wizard and discover which Hogwarts House you belong to! We can’t wait to see your costumes!

Join us for:

Potions lessons

Sorting Hat

Forbidden forests

Make your own wand

…Expect the unexpected!

Froglife at Leap into Autumn

On Saturday 20th September 2025 we will be marking the changing of seasons with our Leap Into Autumn event.

This year we’re working in partnership with Froglife who will be celebrating their Coalface to Wildspace project which is coming to an end after 3 years.

Froglife is a national wildlife charity committed to the conservation of amphibians and reptiles – frogs, toads, newts, snakes and lizards – and saving the habitats they depend on.

Join us in celebrating with Froglife where you and your family can take part in a range of activities!

  • Amphibian clay zone- make your favourite amphibian or reptile out of clay
  • Sound zone- listen to soundscapes we have created with people from around Walsall about their nature experiences
  • Habitat Exhibition stall – showcasing the ponds and habitats we have made around Walsall
  • Pond dipping with FrogLife at the following times 12.30pm/2pm/2.30pm/3pm/3.30pm
  • 3D short film showing, Frogglebox – Layers through time
  • Layers of Time Lego® Brick Display – take a look at one of our amazing Lego displays and have a go at creating a wildlife friendly garden from Lego
  • Birmingham and Black country Amphibian and Reptile group- stall about their work
  • Juneau Projects will be making wooden wildlife medallions
  • Lego exhibit- take a look at one of our amazing Lego displays and have a go at creating a wildlife friendly garden from Lego

See you on Saturday 20th September 12-4pm!

Coalface to Wildspace, Midlands

What is the project about?

Coalface to Wildspace, Midlands is an exciting project funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the West Midlands Combined Authority. The project is focusing around neighbourhoods across Walsall from 2022 to the end of 2025.

There has previously been very little focus on reptile and amphibian conservation in this region, so this project is raising awareness through public engagement, improving habitat through community interventions, and bringing attention to local natural and geological heritage.

To find out more information about Coalface to Wildspace click the link below

Circus Garden Party at Caldmore Community Garden on Saturday 19th July 2025

🎪🌞 Roll up, roll up… the Circus is coming to the Garden! 🌞🎪

Join us at Caldmore Community Garden on Saturday 19th July for a Circus Garden Party to kick off the summer holidays in style! 🎉

🕛 12PM – 4PM | FREE ENTRY | Fun for all ages!

🎶 12–1PM – Circus-themed songs with B’Opera!
Enjoy a joyful, circus-themed live music concert the whole family will love.

🎭 1.30PM – Dazzling Circus Show by Kids Circus Workshops!
Sit back and be amazed by a playful performance full of fun!

🎪 2PM – Circus Skills Workshop!
Ever wanted to learn some circus skills? Now’s your chance to join in and learn from the pros!

🎨 Plus all afternoon:
✨ Arts & Crafts
🎟️ Tombola
☕ Café with homemade cakes and refreshments

🎈 Bring the whole family for an afternoon of laughter, creativity, and community fun in the beautiful garden setting.

With support from National Lottery Community Fund, Black Country Touring and Youth Music, thank you for making this event possible!

CircusGardenParty #FamilyFun #CaldmoreEvents #SummerAtTheGarden #FreeFamilyDayOut #caldmorecommunitygarden #Walsallfamilyfun

Apple Wassail at the Garden – Saturday 18th January 12-4pm

Join us for our Apple Wassail event on Saturday 18th January 2025, 12-2pm!

– Learn more about winter fruit tree pruning at our free workshop with gardening expert Sally Cunningham
– Share a lovely lunch with hot home-made soup and cake
– Join in with a traditional Wassail procession to bring good apple harvest in the coming year
– Enjoy Wassail and folk music by Mike Bethel and sit with us around the campfire.

The workshop is 12-2pm, with music and Wassailing starting after lunch at 2:30pm.

The event is funded by the West Midlands Combined Authority and The National Lottery Community Fund.

Here is to the bountiful New Year in the Garden!

Christmas at the Garden!

Mark your calendars, because Saturday the 14th of December, is set to be a day of festive cheer and community spirit! From 1-4PM, join us at Caldmore Community Garden, for Christmas at the Garden – a heartwarming event that’s guaranteed to get you into the Christmas spirit!

What to Expect?

The garden will be transformed into a festive wonderland featuring Santa’s Grotto, where you can meet Santa and his cheerful elves. Capture magical moments with the man in red himself!

Here’s what else is in store for the day:

  • Christmas with B’Opera: A truly enchanting experience for all ages! At 1PM, enjoy a Relaxed Christmas Concert, followed by carols and winter songs at 2:30PM. Let the beautiful music fill you with the joy of the season.
  • Activities Galore: From Christmas crafts to a festive tombola, there’s plenty to keep everyone entertained. Children can look forward to some special presents as well!
  • Seasonal Treats: Savour the taste of Christmas with mince pies, homemade cake, mulled apple juice and other warming hot drinks available in our cafe.

Free Entry – No Booking Required!

The event is completely FREE and open to everyone – no booking is needed, so just turn up and enjoy the festivities. Whether you’re looking for a fun day out with the family or simply want to soak in the holiday atmosphere, there’s something for everyone at Christmas at the Garden.

A Special Thank You

This magical event wouldn’t be possible without the support of The Inclusive Communities Fund and The National Lottery Community Fund. Their contribution helps us create wonderful moments that bring the community together.

So, gather your loved ones and join us for an afternoon of Christmas cheer, music, and laughter. We can’t wait to see you there!