OTLEY Wildlife Arts Festival, which runs from Friday, October 25 to Sunday, October 27, has announced extra events for the already busy weekend.

In addition to the main exhibition and ticketed events, organisers have added other activities open to young and old - all with a nature theme.

At 9.30am on Saturday 26 Otley Camera Club will lead a nature photography walk, giving ideas and tips on how to best capture images of the natural world. This will be on Otley Chevin, and WFO ecologists will be along to point out interesting natural subjects. There’s no need for a fancy camera – experts will show you how to capture stunning shots using just a mobile phone.

At 10am at the Art Works studio, experienced artist Miriam Laville will be teaching the art of collage. The focus will be on the beauty of nature and no previous experience is required.

Between 10am and 4pm adults and children will get chance to use acrylic paints to paint pottery insects at the House of Pottery. A calming sensory room will be available upstairs for those who prefer a quieter pottery painting experience.

Try your hand at felt fungi Try your hand at felt fungi

Also on Saturday, at 2pm at Otley Studio, Andi Petch will be running a workshop where children (eight and upwards) and adults will be able to create 'felt fungi’. All workshops cost £10 and need to be booked at neil-griffin@outlook.com except the one at House of Pottery, which is £6 and drop-in.

Make leafy creatures Make leafy creatures

There are also workshops aimed at younger nature lovers. Pat Foster will be at Otley Library helping children create ‘leafy creatures’ as well as celebrating our autumn trees with stories, poems and jokes. This free workshop runs at 11am and later 1pm, and can be booked at the library desk. Also, at the White House on the Chevin, there will be two creative forest school sessions run by Amanda Newham at 10am and 1pm. Children will be able to create patterns with leaves and petals in prints, and there will be treasure hunts for animals. Participants will also make mini dens and shelters for woodland animals, and there will be games as well. The two-hour sessions will cost £7.50 and are bookable at chevinforestschool.co.uk Finally, Alex Eve will be running his ever-popular Sticker Art workshop. This will be a free, drop in session, starting at 11am in the Robing Room at the Courthouse.

Otley Wildlife Festival will feature nature talks Otley Wildlife Festival will feature nature talks

A special addition to this year’s festival is ‘Wild Words’, an afternoon of poetry on Sunday, October 27. Featuring the wildlife poetry of local groups Otley Stanza and Otley Writers, the event is free, and refreshments will be provided. Readings will include those of poems inspired by Denton Moor and the Peat Project there. The event starts at 3.15pm at the Labour Rooms and will be preceded by a special poetry workshop called ‘Lost Words’ starting at 2pm. This will be led by Bernie Stinson and participants will get to write their final draft on paper hand made from local greenery. No previous experience is required and the cost is £10 per person, bookable at neil-griffin@outlook.com.

With so much to do, the festival organiser, Wildlife Friendly Otley, encourages anybody interested to look at the full programme on their website wildlifefriendlyotley.org.uk. Some of the events have limited numbers, so early bookings are advised.

The festival is grateful for the support of the following sponsors: Sinclair’s, Leeds City Council, House of Pottery, Art Works and Otley Town Council.