For the August 2020 holidays, in response to the Coronavirus, CAST took its summer activities for children and families off-site and out of doors in a project called CAST-Off. Lucy Grant devised a CAST-Off trail exploring the Cober valley and the grounds of Penrose, from Lowertown to Loe Bar, and teamed up with some of the CAST studio artists to offer a range of creative activities in the natural environments surrounding Helston. She designed a special map suggesting self-guided, creative things to do and discover – many of which could be tried out in woodlands, meadows or gardens anywhere in the country.
A printed activity map was available from CAST along with free sketchbooks and pencils. On Tuesdays and Saturdays throughout August there were artist-led workshops along the trail to inspire imaginative and inventive activities. These artist-led activities included creating inks and dyes from natural pigments, making clay bricks, botanical drawing, making paper boats to race on the river Cober and building bark boats to sail on the Loe, making Hal-an-Tow sticks, making charcoal and just listening quietly to the sounds all around.
The CAST-Off programme is presented with the generous support of The Garcia Family Foundation, with assistance from Arts Council England, Cornwall Heritage Trust, Feast and Little Parc Owles Trust.