Following an open day at the Pritchard Jones Institute in Newborough on August 26 2006 when fossil-making turned out to be a huge success with the children, it was decided to form a children's geology club at the institute.

Dr Kathryn (Kate) Riddington, the natural science keeper from Grosvenor Museum in Chester, had come along to do a fossil-making session with Dr Jacqui Malpas and her daughter Sally, which proved very popular with the local youngsters, some of whom were reluctant to leave at the end of the day and showed interest in starting a geology club there.

Kate, who has run very successful Rockwatch events for children at the Chester museum, agreed to start us off with a series of six events over a year. In the summer there will be additional events when the club will go out into the area, in and around Anglesey, to look at rocks, minerals and fossils in their natural habitat. Outdoor events will be for families to join their children for a Rocky Experience!

Events at the Pritchard Jones Institute in Newborough will include Bones to skin - a dinosaur activity, Victorian Trilobites and Brachiopods, Volcanoes, Lavas and Llanddwyn, and a first rock collection. Outdoor events will take place from Easter onwards.

Members can be aged five to 16, but under eight-year-olds must be accompanied at meetings by an adult. There will be a charge of £10 per year membership fee or £2 per person/per session to cover the cost of materials.
Margaret Wood

If you are interested in membership contact Dr Margaret Wood via the GeoMôn website (see right) or telephone 01248 385431 or 01248 440888 daytime, evenings 01248 810287.

More about Anglesey Geopark.