Where there’s lots to see and do for all the family

This year we have combined the Learning Zone and Activity Zones from the 2024 show to bring you the New Activity Zone.

We have greatly expanded our activity zone attractions to ensure that there is something that will interest, excite and entertain you, whatever your age. The New Activity Zone at the Swallowfield Show is a must visit for all the family.

Rent a Dinosaur ( Free Activity )

Appearing in the Activity Zone and around the showground, come and meet Salsa the Megalosaurus being ridden by his dinosaur wrangler. They will have some friends with them including the two babies who you will be able to meet at feeding time.
The How to Train Your Dinosaur show is an interactive and educational performance that is perfect for dinosaur enthusiasts of all ages. They will teach you fascinating facts about dinosaurs using slapstick comedy and invite brave volunteers into the performance space to help to train the dinosaurs using real animal training techniques! However, the dinosaurs can be quite naughty so be prepared for things not to go to plan!

Come and see the UK’s most realistic Dinosaurs

Circus Skills Workshop (Free Activity )

The extremely popular Larger Than Life are returning to the show this year with their large and colourful circus mat where you can try your hand at juggling, unicycling, hand held stilt walking, diablos, hula hoops, hoi and plate spinning!

You will be under the expert tuition of seasoned performers John Caudrey and Jason Perry who can also show you how it is done! Suitable for all ages and abilities you are free to drop in as many times as you like to improve your skills.

Shinfield Rangers Football Club ( Free Activity )

Shinfield Rangers Football Club will be joining the Activity Zone with an opportunity for visitors to try their football skills.

Shinfield Rangers FC’s volunteers work hard to provide an award-winning wide range of football activities including league and casual football for a variety of ages, genders and abilities, helping the people in the Parish of Shinfield for over 50 years.

Having teams for boys and girls, as well as just girls. practicing in the evenings during the week and play games both at home and away each weekend during the season.

If you’re too young to play on a team officially, they have fun sessions on Sundays for kids aged 4-6.
Also offering free sessions for disabled kids ages 4-14 for much of the summer and autumn terms.

The Newbury and District Beekeepers Association. ( Free Activity )

We are proud to announce that – thanks to the kind support of PBA Accountants – once again The Newbury District Beekeepers Association will be attending the Swallowfield Show. Our visitors will again be able to have the opportunity to quiz the Beekeepers and take the chance to learn about honeybees, beekeeping and pollinators.

Come and see the bees in their observation hives, you might even find the queen!!
Take the opportunity to see how honey is made, the variety of different honeys and why it is so diverse.
Discover how beeswax is made and all of the uses it has, it might just surprise you.
Meet the Chairman of the Newbury Beekeepers association Adrian Doyle and the beekeepers and ask them questions about the species that has populated our planet for over 7 million years !!
Learn how to encourage bees into your garden, the work they do in helping with the pollination of your flowers, fruit and veg.

www.newburybeekeepers.org.uk

Anvil metal works ( Chargeable )

Ever wondered how some of the metal items in and around your home and garden are made, the metal gates, railings, garden arches, fire pokers, etc?

Here you will have the chance to watch the blacksmiths at work making a range of these items, plus, for a small charge, you can have a go to make something for yourself to take away, ( under the close supervision of the blacksmiths of course).

Ask about their 6 specialised courses for aspiring blacksmiths, blade-smiths & artists, hands on classes, creating knifes, dragons or sculpture metalwork.

www.anvilforge.net

Berkshire reptile encounters ( Free Activity )

Established in 1996 as a rescue to help rehabilitate and rehome reptiles and exotic animals, our professional team can provide support to various types of exotic animals and pets, this includes reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates.

We have a wealth of experience when it comes to handling a large variety of reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates, as well as the re-homing of exotic pets. At Berkshire Reptile Encounters our priority is rescuing sick or unwanted reptiles or exotics and then finding suitable, responsible, and caring homes for them, for life. We also can provide permanent sanctuaries for them should they be unfit for re-homing. We have grown to now offer reptile and animal handling to help raise funds to help the animals and reptiles that we rescue and helping to educate both children and adults about reptiles and exotic animals, but in a fun way. Hosted by trained animal handlers, you’ll be in safe hands with Berkshire Reptile Encounters, all the animals and reptiles are trained to be around humans.

The Crafty Kids Club ( Chargeable )

Looking for a fun, engaging way to keep your children entertained ? The Crafty Kids Club offers hands-on art and crafts designed for children to make something special and creative.
Run by two qualified primary school teachers each with over 15 years of classroom experience, children can explore a variety of materials and techniques to create artwork they’ll be proud of.

Crafts on offer in the activity zone are: Sand art pictures & Sand Bottles, Flowerpot Decorating and a variety of wooden item for children to design and create.

Thames Valley community police

( Free Activity – Sunday only )

We are pleased to announce that this year Thames Valley community police officers will be joined by TVP cadets. come along and have fun with Finger printing and crime scene / evidence gathering lessons.

There will also be a collection of police vehicles to parked on site for you to peruse.

The Eco Skills Learning Centre ( Chargeable )

The Eco Skills Learning Centre is based in Arborfield, Berkshire, a volunteer-led community of passionate individuals dedicated to empowering youth with practical eco-friendly skills for a sustainable future. For Schools, Scouts, Youth and Educational Groups.
The centre originated from Lambs Lane Repair Café following the success of the “Build your own birdbox” project. Today the Eco Skills Learning Centre hosts its own youth workshops running entirely on donations and volunteer time. Bringing along kits to build birdboxes and items for creating bug hotels, they will also be bringing swift boxes and hedgehog boxes and ready made birdboxes. Visitors will have an opportunity to build the birdboxes and learn about how to attract birds to their gardens.

Mini Golf. ( Chargeable )

A 9-hole course with fun and challenging obstacles that doesn’t have any health, height, or age restrictions, allowing all the family to play together from young children to grandparents, it’s fun for all the family to enjoy.

SAFE

Saving Abandoned Fly-Grazing Equines (Donations)

SAFE is a small, registered charity whose mission is to support local landowners to legally rescue, and re-home abandoned and neglected horses in the Berkshire & Surrey areas, funded entirely on donations and with volunteer’s time. All were horses rescued from Berkshire and Surrey. Founded in winter 2014, SAFE was established in response to a local crisis when 38 horses and ponies were left abandoned in a field in Binfield, Berkshire. SAFE is run by a small group of horse-loving volunteers across Berkshire and Surrey. They give up their time on a regular basis to help horses and ponies who have been abandoned or neglected, keeping them ‘SAFE’ and away from harm. The fundamental objectives of the organisation are the 3 R’s – Rescue, Rehabilitate and Rehome.
In the Activity Zone you can visit some of the horses in their care, hear their stories and chat to the volunteers about the amazing work they do.

Burghfield Block Printing ( Chargeable )

Burghfield Block Printing is a not-for-profit group raising money for St. Mary’s Church, Burghfield Common. It offers a unique and inspiring experience in traditional art and craft, with hands-on instruction in printing on both cloth and paper. Learn about the techniques and methods required to create stunning and intricate designs using block printing and/or stencilling. Come and have a go, it’s fun!

Micka’s Training ( Free Activity )

Micka’s Training’s a local family run business with the aim to deliver fun and friendly total body workouts as Micka is passionate about bringing exercise to everyone – all ages and abilities, He loves supporting his clients to fit exercise into their daily life, see how easy healthy habits can be and show them just what amazing results they are capable of! Join Micka in the Activity Zone for some great friendly fun activities including games such as tug of war. Suitable for almost every age, ability, and fitness level.

Yateley Morris Men ( Free Activity )

The Yateley Morris Men are no strangers to dancing at the our show as we welcome them back to demonstrate to us once again what is truly an old and very genuine English Tradition!This year, as well as showing off their traditional skills in the shows Village Green, they will be sharing their experiences and speaking about what it’s like to be a Morris dancer with all that entails in the New Activity Zone. Afterwards they will be available to answer any question you might have on this quaint English pass-time.

Wollschweber Crafts ( Free Activity )

Caroline is a spinner, dyer and knitter and will be bringing her spinning wheels to the Swallowfield show giving visitors an opportunity to see her in action along with the opportunity to try wool spinning on the spinning wheel and using drop spindles!!Also, for those visitor interested in such things Caroline will also have yarns available for sale at the show.

Saint Sled Dogs ( Free Activity )

We are absolutely thrilled to welcome back the Saint Sled Dogs Rescue team. A popular attraction to see rescued Siberian Huskies and Alaskan Malamutes all of whom offer a very warm welcome.