The rain didn't stop people coming out to Jumping Downs Local Nature Reserve on Sunday 18th July. The Jumping Downs Trust and The Kentish Stour Countryside Project who jointly manage the site, organised a summer picnic with storytellers, art workshops and face painting and despite the distinct lack of summer, spirits were not damp!

Mary Lovick from the Kentish Stour Countryside Project said "we were rather worried about the rain but were delighted when people started arriving. The children had a great day out making butterflies and bugs, and they loved the storytelling. Storyteller Gail Duff and musician, Bing, told tales about the environment and creatures you might find in meadows."

Alongside the storytellers were the Whole Hog Art Company who provide workshops making all manner of imaginative sculptures out of recycled materials. They helped children make their own minibeast to take home. Face painter Jane Wells was also on hand to paint creatures found around the area. George Stephen, 5 of Ashford wanted to be painted as a lizard, a species common at Jumping Downs.