By Lara King
Families in Horsforth rounded off a damp February half term with a cosy community film afternoon hosted by the team at the Grove Methodist Church.
On Saturday, 21 February, more than 20 children and their families settled in to watch Paddington on the big screen complete with classic cinema treats — squash, crisps, popcorn and even half-time ice cream. Hot drinks were on hand for the grownups too.
The atmosphere was joyous throughout, with plenty of laughter and warm reactions to the
antics of the much-loved bear.
Children were free to come and go as they pleased, with a side room of toys available for anyone who preferred to play, a welcome relief for parents who know how hard it can be to keep little ones still for a full film.
The family film afternoons are part of a wider programme of child-friendly activities at the
church, which also runs Tots and Tykes and Messy Church sessions.
Alongside these, the church hosts a regular programme of general film screenings on the first Friday of each month. The next showing will be The Way on 6 March. Children’s films usually take place on the final Saturday of the school holidays, with previous screenings including Frozen and Despicable Me.
All film screenings are free, with donations welcomed on a pay-as-you-feel basis.
Paul Thompson, a volunteer from the Grove Church, explained: “We know it can be a struggle for families to keep kids entertained through the holidays, especially when the weather’s bad.
“By running the film afternoons, families can come along, relax and enjoy themselves, there’s no charge, and everyone is welcome.”
Horsforth resident Jane Paley spotted the event on Facebook and suggested it to her family: “I thought it sounded like a nice thing to do, but I didn’t realise how much they put on, with all the snacks and treats. It’s been lovely.
“It’s hard to get the grandchildren to sit still through a film normally, but they’ve really enjoyed it. We’d definitely come again.”
If you’d like to join a future family film afternoon, keep an eye on posts in the Horsforth
Community Group on Facebook. The next children’s screening is expected to take place on
the final Saturday of the Easter school holidays.
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