Public events in Moray and Inverness

 The Last Wolf

free public events

October 2026

Tuesday 13^th Lost animals and wonderful places

·      Elgin Library, Crooker Park, Elgin, IV30 1HS, 11:00 - 16:00

https://fb.me/e/6D4SUiEcO

Wednesday 14^th, The Last Wolf and Other Lost animals 

·      Inverness Museum, IV2 3EB 10:30 - 15:30

https://fb.me/e/bEUBvAzp9

make your own folded animal

Friday 16^th: Lost animals and wonderful places

·      Forres Library, House Community Centre, High St, Forres, IV36 1BU, 10:30-  13:30

https://fb.me/e/9PBxXMaEf

What's all this about?

There are “last wolf” accounts found all over the UK. From full scale dramatic descriptions to a single sentence in a history book, we have noted the departure of this iconic predator. Accounts are almost always congratulatory which might reflect the impact wolves had - or were accused of having – or might have had - on local communities. Rarely is there any thought of what the bigger consequences of losing wolves might mean.

The Last Wolf project coincides with Caroline Bury's Ghosts in the Wood exhibition at Løre Gallery in Forres and sets out to encourage us to pause, reflect and be creative about how we feel about this changing world, about the animals we've lost, the ones we might be losing - and the ones that are coming back whether we like it or not! And its not just animals - if you're into plants, you could think about Ash Dieback and Sudden Larch Death.

Find out more about the whole project here: https://creepingtoad.blogspot.com/2026/07/the-last-wolf.html

Explore those changing landscapes of plants and animals in Scotland. A good starting point is to visit the Nature Champions website for more information and more species and habitats to think about!

where would you like to meet your animal?

Planning Public Events

With funding from the Pebble Trust, we are arranging public events and sessions in local schools.Make your own animal model and a pop-up landscape of the place where you would like to meet your wolf, frog, wild horse, mouse, eagle….

(and many thanks to Moray Council and Inverness Museum for their support!)

Details

These events are

·      free

·      no booking or tickets needed: just drop-by and join in

·      young people under 12 need to bring a grown-up with them

·      allow 45 minutes for the activity

·      Find out more: @creeping toad

·      https:// creepingtoad.blogspot.com/2026/07/the-last-wolf.html

 

Tree decorations!

 

Tree mobiles

 

hang your own woodland stories in your home
 ~ a quiet activity for a winter evening

 

 

you will need:

·      a piece of card - we worked on a piece of A5 (about 15 x 21cm)*

·      a pencil

·      coloured pencils or pens

·      some glue (PVA or glue stick glue)

·      scissors

·      a needle or small hole punch

·      some thread or thin string

 

(* you don't need art card: you could do this with a cereal packet or draw on paper and then stick onto cereal packet card when you are ready to cut out) 

This is a blog first published on the site of Toadfriends and colleagues Stone and Water, reblogging here so that it can reach a different set of visitors!

It is associated with the SnW Celebrating Woodlands project

 

Think about: a tree you know (or would like to know!) Maybe consider the tree's life cycle of bud, leaf, fruit and animals...or treehouses and swings… or hanging by your toes in your very own circus tree....

 

In our pictures here we've used pen to make lines show up: if you did this in pencil you could rub the guidelines out afterwards!

 

1. Draw 2 upside down 'T' shapes. these need to be about the same size. A smaller 'T" could fit in between them. These will help keep drawings 1 and 2 about the same size

Step 1, guidelines

Step 2, drawing trees

Step3, colouring trees!

 

2. Draw 3 stages of your tree:1 and 2 need to be about the same size while 3 is OK to be smaller (you have more card? make 3 the same size as the others!)

 

3. Colour in!

 

4. Cut out: don't cut right up to your lines, give yourself some room around your drawings. Then fold drawings 1 and 2 in half along the long line of that first T

 

5. Glue 1 and 2 together on one half of the back of your drawing so they make a Y shape. Then glue 3 into the blank side of this shape. Carefully trim away extra card to show up the shape of your drawing

Step 5: trim

 

6. If you have drawn circles like we did, use these (if they have matched up! they often don't) as a guide to punch a hole. or just make a hole toward the top of your tree! Thread a string through. Add some finishing touches? Glitter? some sequin snowflakes? 

Fold and glue

 

Hang up your tree and enjoy!

There are more woodland events coming from Stone and Water and Creeping Toad in between January and March 2026: keep an eye on this page and on the Toad social media for more details!

Creeping Toad:

Facebook: Creeping Toad

Instagram: Creepingtoad

the Folk Union

The Woods in Spring

The Woods in Spring

free public event

Tuesday 27th May

First flowers and new nests, bumblebees buzzing and beetles trundling: join the Stone and Water team (including Creeping Toad) in Corbar Woods, Buxton, (thank you, Buxton Civic Association!) to explore the excitements of spring

Make your own Spring Wildlife Book and set out into the woods or walk (wander?run? trundle?) up the hill to Corbar Cross, adding your own discoveries to your book as you go!

If you want to find out more about the plants and animals you see, try the Wildlife Trust's Wildlife Explorer

We'll be inviting you to make your own Spring Wildlife Books: if you can't join us on Tuesday, there are suggestions to help you make your own book, here

Where: Corbar Woods, Corbar Rd, Buxton, SK17 6RQ

Finding us: come into the woods at the Corbar Rd entrance and follow the flags up the hill

What3Words: honest.shelved.household....or very near there!

Nearest bus stop: #61 to Cavendish Hospital

• Free event: no booking or tickets required

• Materials provided

• Activity takes about 45 minutes to complete

• Please note: there are no toilet facilities in Corbar Woods!

This is the first of our Celebrating Woodlands events 

with the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust's Community Fund

Serpentine Garden events

 Serpentine Garden

extra family events in August, 2024

ALL THE PLANNED SERPENTINE COMMUNITY GARDEN EVENTS ARE BEING POSTPONED: NOT ENOUGH BOOKINGS
IF YOU WANT TO LET PEOPLE NOW THAT YOU WERE PLANNING ON COMING, TELL THE COMMUNITY GARDEN!

 

As well as the Museum and Oldham events listed in the previous blog, now have 3 lovely events exploring, celebrating and getting creative in the Serpentine Community Garden, Buxton

 

Spaces on these events are limited. The activities are free but please book a slot: pete.b.r.brown@gmail.com

 

Activities will be family friendly and while anyone is welcome,  "Plants, poems and printing" would be specially good for adults wanting to explore garden plants through words and art

 

Details:

Serpentine Community Garden

Burlington Road,

Buxton, SK17 9AR

Website:https://www.serpentinecommunitygarden.org/

WILD GARDENERS: POSTPONED

Friday 2 August

10-11.30

12.30-2pm

2.30-4pm

Take time to explore the Garden and plan your gardeners, making them out of found

and recycled materials and creating the stories that go with them. There might be Garden Monsters, the Creepers from the Compost Heap, Borage Witches, Thistle Wizards and the keeper of the Royal Woodlice...

 

SERPENTINE PIRATES; POSTPONED

Tuesday 6 August

1.30-2.15

2.20-3.05

3.10-3.55

Make pipe cleaner pirates and Treasure Boxes. Explore the Garden and out into the wider

area to find natural treasures...Map the Garden and Serpentine Walks as places for adventures and perils and discover the treasures of the natural world.

 

PLANTS, POEMS AND PRINTING; POSTPONED

Friday 9 August

10-11.30

12.30-2pm

2.30-4pm

Inspired by traditional herbals and books like The Lost Words, we will be using natural materials found in the Garden to create beautiful results using fallen leaves, whole flower stems or feathers. You’ll print, write and turn your artwork into cards featuring your own poems or stories.