BRADFORD Cathedral enjoyed big success in the February half-term with the launch of its family activities.

On offer were a range of activities aimed at families including guided tours and paper-craft activities, with others focused on younger children including a dot-to-dot pelican.

Director of education and visitors Maggie Myers said: “Pelicans are significant in the Cathedral. There is a self-guided tour which you can do, called the Pelican Trail, where you can spot the pelicans that are hidden around, but it also reveals lots of details about the history of Bradford Cathedral as you go around."

"A lot of families went around and did this after the activities.”

As well as the trail there were also guided tours around the Cathedral which were tailored for the ages of those involved.

One of the most popular attractions on offer were the paper-craft activities including a variety of themes, including painting your own stained glass window, based on those around the building; and designing your own coat of arms for a heraldic shield, using symbolism based on their own personality and identity.

There was also a version based on Eva Mileusnic’s ‘Counter-Flow’ exhibition of migrating porcelain feet, where children could create their own design.

“We had a template of a foot and we showed the families Eva’s designs and then they did their own design, based on their personalities and favourite patterns.”

Running the half-term activities was a way of reaching out to new groups in the Cathedral. “We’ve had children on school visits, and when they leave we say to them that it’s their Cathedral and to come back and visit, so it’s providing opportunities for them to come back with their families.

“Some of the children who came had been here on a school trip, and when they came back they wanted to do the Pelican Trail and take their parents round, and show them parts of the Cathedral that they remembered from last time, which was great to see.

“It was really good for the parents to see what the children had been doing on their school trips. The Cathedral is such an inspiring space, and has so much potential for children and families to come and do some things here. Opening up at half-term seemed like a great opportunity that we couldn’t miss!”

The Education and Visitors team are planning activity sessions for future breaks, which will see the activities run in February joined by themes appropriate to the time of year.

Further holiday activities will run on Tuesday, May 28, Tuesday, July 23, and Thursday, July 25, all between 10am and 2pm. For more information or to book a place e-mail educationandvisitors@bradfordcathedral.org.