FAMILIES enjoyed a Grand Day Out as some of the country’s top model makers kicked off this year’s Royston Arts Festival.

The week-long festival began on Saturday with a workshop provided by Aardman Animations, the Oscar-winning production company which created Wallace and Gromit and Shaun the Sheep.

Those attending the workshop at Tannery Drift School had the opportunity to make their own version of Gromit or Shaun the Sheep, who appeared in films such as a Grand Day Out and The Curse of the Ware Wabbit, under the guidance of Will Harding, one Aardman Animations’ senior model-makers.

“Everyone seems to have a great time and produced some really good models,” said Graham Palmer, chair of the festival committee.

The main festival weekend is coming up on Saturday and Sunday, and Mr Palmer said: “We will see the culmination of 10 months’ work, with a wide range of events planned by the committee and lots of other local organisations.

“The festival provides something for everyone whether that is a stage performance or taking part in one of the many workshops or visiting the numerous exhibitions.

“If it is anything like the past it will be a weekend of hectic activity,” he said.

One key attraction will be the appearance of Meera Syal, the comedian, actress and writer who came to prominence in Goodness Gracious Me and The Kumars at No 42.

She will be appearing at Greneway School on Saturday, September 28.

“To have someone as well-known as Meera Syal appearing shows that the Royston Arts Festival is finally getting wider recognition,” said Mr Palmer.

On Saturday there will be an afternoon of performances and drop-in sessions at Greneway School which will include Sawston Steelpans, Fensong and the premiere of a short film by Paul Vernon. There will also be the opportunity to take part in a session of Bollywood dance, a singing workshop with ‘Singing aloud’ and cookery demonstrations.

As part of the afternoon event people are invited to make and place a model of their home on a huge map of the town. To start this off pupils at Greneway School have also been making models of prominent buildings such as the town hall and the parish church.

Tomorrow, Friday, evening, pianist Clare Hammond will be giving A Musical Tour with work by Mozart, Mendelssohn and Schubert at Greneway School.

This year’s arts festival will come to its conclusion with the Last Night of the Proms-style Youth Finale Concert in Royston Parish Church on Sunday evening.

Click on the link in the top right hand corner to see pictures from the festival.