Free ‘Tales from the Forest’ event near Leek on 22 August
Families with children aged 4 to 11 can join a free Winnie the Pooh centenary event at Coombes Valley RSPB Reserve near Leek on Saturday 22 August 2026. “Tales from the Forest: Winnie the Pooh Centenary Celebration” runs from 10am to 1pm, with accompanying adults invited to take part alongside children.
Places are limited and advance booking is essential. Families can reserve a place through the booking option in the original Staffordshire County Council event notice.
Pooh’s centenary moves into a Staffordshire woodland
Organised by Staffordshire Libraries and Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, Tales from the Forest takes stories beyond the library and into the woodland. Families will follow a Winnie the Pooh-themed trail around the reserve, combining reading and storytelling with crafts and nature exploration.
The event marks 100 years of Winnie the Pooh and forms part of the National Year of Reading. Its woodland format reflects the stories’ familiar connections with forests, animals and imaginative adventures, while giving children a chance to encounter reading as part of a shared outdoor activity.
Hayley Coles, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Communities and Culture at Staffordshire County Council, is due to attend as part of the storytelling team. In the council’s announcement, she said the event was intended to help children discover the enjoyment of reading while exploring Staffordshire’s natural spaces.
Stories, crafts, bees and wildlife along the trail
The trail brings together several activities within one route around Coombes Valley RSPB Reserve. Children can listen to storytelling, take part in crafts, search for bees and look for local wildlife as they move through the woodland setting.
The programme is specifically designed for primary-school-age children between 4 and 11. Accompanying adults are included in the event format, making the trail a shared family activity rather than a children-only session.
What families need to know before booking
| Detail | Confirmed information |
|---|---|
| Date | Saturday 22 August 2026 |
| Time | 10am to 1pm |
| Venue | Coombes Valley RSPB Reserve, near Leek, Staffordshire |
| Cost | Free |
| Audience | Children aged 4 to 11 and their accompanying adults |
| Booking | Essential because places are limited |
The supplied announcement does not provide transport or accessibility information. Families who need those details should not assume arrangements have been confirmed and can consult the council’s original event notice when booking. The immediate next step is to use the booking option in that notice to secure one of the limited free places.
Source: Staffordshire County Council Newsroom
Context & actions About this article
Source check Source trail
The date, time, venue, audience, cost and booking requirement were checked against Staffordshire County Council’s event announcement.
- Confirmed the event is scheduled for Saturday 22 August 2026.
- Confirmed the venue as Coombes Valley RSPB Reserve near Leek.
- Confirmed the 10am–1pm running time and free entry.
- Confirmed that places are limited and advance booking is essential.
- Source
- Staffordshire County Council Newsroom
- Scope
- Leek
- Updated
- 2026-08-14 18:57
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