St Philip’s Church in Webheath, Redditch recently welcomed families from across the area for a lively Paddington Craft and Film Day filled with creativity, colour and a great deal of orange peel.
Children and their parents crafted their own Paddington bears, and decorated picnic bags and jam jar lid covers to take home. Prayers starting with 'Please look after...' were written on luggage labels that were then attached to Paddington's brown leather suitcase.
In the kitchen, volunteers worked their way through what felt like millions of oranges to prepare fresh marmalade, filling the building with the tangy smell of oranges.
The rest of the morning was spent making marmalade sandwiches ready for a shared picnic which was enjoyed while watching the Paddington film.
Vicar of St Philip’s Church, Sarah Jayne Hewitt said:
“Paddington carries kindness with him wherever he goes. It was wonderful to see families creating, sharing food and then sitting down together to watch the film. The church felt warm and full of life, and it was a relaxed and joyful atmosphere that felt more like a community living room than a formal space.”
Parents accompanied their children throughout, joining in the crafts and helping with the food preparation. The morning brought generations together around tables covered in orange peel, sticky tape and homemade Paddingtons.
Paddington Day forms part of a growing programme of events at St Philip’s, offering welcoming spaces for families to gather and connect.
Further school holiday family fun activities are planned across 2026 as the church continues to open its doors in creative ways to the wider community.
