Thanks for joining in the fun this summer when the KIDS took over Colchester city centre!
Parents and their little ones filed into Colchester city centre on Saturday 29th and/or Sunday 30th July to enjoy lots of fun-filled opportunities aimed at 7-12 years old. Each activity was FREE with donations towards the NSPCC gratefully appreciated.
Each venue had a huge variety of activities on offer at multiple different times throughout the weekend.
About the event
The kids took over Colchester city centre!
In pop up locations across Colchester, youngsters aged from 7-12 enjoyed the unique chance to try their hand at running the city, with countless career ideas to have a go at.
Whether becoming a style guru in Fenwick or learning how the NHS cares for patients, children were able to experience job roles for real, all under the expert guidance of the best in the business.
And there was so much to explore too, from the chance to become a professional footballer for a day through to getting to grips with your finances at Metro Bank.
Not only did Colchester’s Kids in the City event give the young people of Colchester the chance to take a hands-on look at a future career, but throughout the weekend activities and donations supported the incredible work of the children’s charity NSPCC, marking Childhood Day.
As well as celebrating the joy of childhood, Kids in the City showcased the live, work and play ethos of Colchester and the opportunities this incredible city offers people of all ages.
Participating outlets
Partnered with some of the biggest names in Colchester city centre
Metro Bank
In its prime location on Colchester’s High Street, Metro Bank welcomed curious children behind the big vault doors to solve puzzles and find out about how our money and valuables are kept safe in a secure environment at a bank, as well as to ask their questions about the world of financing.
Lion Walk
As one of the key flagship shopping centres within Colchester city centre, Lion Walk was at the heart of the Kids in the City weekend of activity. As well as the ‘turning the tables’ with kids serving their parents in the Vacay Courtyard, Lion Walk also hosted a real-life fire engine for them to explore.
Vacay Bar
The Vacay Bar in Lion Walk is always a place to party. Youngsters enjoyed the chance to serve some of the coolest drinks around in the summer heat – all alcohol free of course. So many of our families relaxed in the chilled out vibe as the Kids in the City got to learn a little about what’s involved in the hospitality trade.
Culver Square
Culver Square was a hub of activity in the centre of Colchester throughout our busy weekend. The main square was transformed with an Astro Turf football pitch ready to host some very special guests from Stanway Pegasus FC, while the remainder of Culver Square hosted yet more Kids in the City activities, including from the NHS.
Fenwick
A jewel of the Colchester High Street for generations, Fenwick sparkled brightly for Kids in the City throughout our event weekend. A section of this luxury department store was downsized for would-be retail workers to polish their customer service skills as Sales Advisors, Personal Shoppers, Toy Demonstrators and Visual Merchandising Assistants.
NHS
The next generation of NHS heroes and heroines got the chance to take their first steps on that career journey with an introduction to what it really means to care and cure. A complete simulation hospital was set up off Culver Square, by East Suffolk & North Essex NHS Foundation Trust, to give a youngsters the chance to learn what it takes to be part of a healthcare team.
Stanway Pegasus FC
More than 500 children represent Stanway Pegasus FC on football pitches across the county each week. Not every one of those will go on to become a professional football player, but there are plenty more careers related to football and sport to explore. Sporty kids got the chance to practice their skills in Culver Square throughout our Kids in the City weekend.
Firstsite
As one of Colchester’s landmark arts facilities in the heart of the city, Firstsite hosted Mosaic Mayhem, giving budding young artists a hands-on chance to practice their creativity and art skills, whilst the team showcased the huge variety of careers that relate to the skills of art and design.
