Ellie the Eel will enjoy a new lease of life at this year’s Eel Day Parade thanks to donations of more than £2,000 to help repair her.
Following Babylon ARTS’ Christmas appeal last year, where all donations were doubled, the charity organisation raised £2,455 ahead of the 16th annual parade.
The money is being used to run free artist-led workshops and arts activities at the Babylon Gallery on Saturday 30 and Sunday 31 March.
Ely artist John Lyons leads four community repair workshops, repairing one of the first eels ever paraded on eel day, and one he originally created.
Local children and families are invited to the workshops, which run from 12-2pm and 2-4pm each day.
There will also be a chance to talk to the Ely Eel Day team about how they can be part of the parade by helping to carry Ellie on the day (Saturday May 4).
For anyone who can’t make the workshops, there will be community drop-in sessions during weekends in April, where people will be able to decorate a scale for Ellie the Eel.
The drop-in sessions will run over April 6 and 7, 13 and 14, 20 and 21 between 12noon and 4pm.
To follow the progress of the project, visit www.babylonarts.org.uk/projects
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