Residents are reminded that there’s lots to do this half term at the Red House Cone.

While restoration work is well underway at the historic site, the visitor centre and craft studios remain open for business as usual.

All of January’s events are sold out, with waiting lists available for painting, glass fusing and ceramic sessions.

During February half term there are three glass fusing sessions for children ages 7 plus. Children under 18 years must be accompanied by a paying adult. These are dragon glass fusing on Monday 12 February and Tuesday 13 February and dinosaur glass fusing on Friday 16 February. Participants will be using and cutting small pieces of glass and powders to create a unique piece.  Sessions are from 10.30am-11.30am,  12.00pm-1.00pm and 1.30pm-2.30pm. Places cost £8.75 plus a small booking fee.  Pieces will be fired and ready for collection at a later date.

Adults can get creative too with a fun and friendly Adult Chat and Paint session in the ground floor Education Room on Friday 23 February at 10.30 am and 1pm. This month people can paint a wooden heart in the style of Polish Wycinanki designs. All materials and a cuppa included for just £8.75 per person (plus a small booking fee).

Youngsters aged 12+ can join in a Spring Suncatcher and Tea Light glass fusing session on Sun 25 February at 1.30am-1pm and 1.30-3pm. Beginners are welcome as full guidance will be given. The cost is £17 (plus a small booking fee) which includes all materials.

The cone will also be offering free trails for children and many of the onsite artist studios will be open for drop in activities, demonstrations and sales.

As the studios are independently run they are not open every day, so if there is someone special you want to see, we recommend contacting them direct before your arrival. Councillor Paul Bradley, cabinet member for communities and economic delivery, said:

“The restoration work is properly underway, you can see the extensive scaffolding around the cone for miles! The site and all its studios are still very much open for business during this important work.

“All of our January crafting workshops are sold out, but there are still spaces left for some of our half term activities.

“A trip to the cone is a lovely day out, with free parking, a visitor centre to look around, exhibition space, craft activities and of course our independently run designer maker studios.”

Future plans for the site include a host of Easter activities, two social value days where visitors can come onto site and find out more about the works with free guided tours and talks, the International Festival of Glass in August and of course the grand re-opening of the cone itself once the restoration works are complete.

The site is open 10am to 3pm Monday to Friday and 11am to 4pm Saturday and Sunday. 

Book places for all sessions via ticketsource.co.uk.