Even MPs take a holiday: Ed Vaizey's top days out in his constituency this summer

AS Parliament is currently in recess, and as it is the school summer holidays, I thought that instead of talking about the goings on in Westminster, I would take the opportunity to highlight some of the fantastic events and kids’ activities going on in the constituency before schools restart.

There are many summer fetes being hosted throughout the Wantage area. On the 20th August, the Grove and Wantage Extravaganza, hosted at Grove RFC, will feature fairground rides, a chocolate tree, shire horses, falconry displays and an army parachute drop.

For the more adventurous, the Earth Trust centre in Little Wittenham is holding a Family Bushcraft day on the 26th, where you can explore the woods, make shelters, and learn how to make and cook on a fire. Booking in advance for this event is essential, so look at the Earth Trust website for details.

Another event to get involved with is Chalking the Horse on the 28th. The National Trust are looking for volunteers (adults and children) to help with the upkeep of the White Horse Hill monument by re-chalking the 3,000 year old horse. Tools are provided and the event is free but a time slot must be booked in advance through the number on the National Trust website.

There are many local attractions and museums open throughout the summer which are putting on special events. The Vale and Downland Museum in Wantage is hosting Free Summer Fun for Families every Tuesday during the summer holidays, with each Tuesday based on a different theme. The Wallingford Museum is holding a William the Conqueror day on the 20th August, free for both adults and children, where you can see a Norman knight, help create the Museum’s own Bayeux tapestry and dig in the archaeology sandpits.

Didcot Railway Centre is open throughout August, with Steam Days on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays where you can ride the steam locomotives. They are also holding a Steam Train Event on the August Bank Holiday weekend. Faringdon Folly Tower and Woodland is a beautiful place to visit, and the Tower is open on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month, with children under 11 getting in free. The Funky Teapot Studio on Grove Street, Wantage, where you can paint your own pottery, is the perfect activity for the more crafty-minded, and until September 11th there is the annual Millets Farm Maize Maze to puzzle your way through, with bouncy castles, trampolines and garden games outside.

Although the parliament is in recess, the work continues all year round, and so please do not hesitate to email me on vaizeye@parliament.uk with any issues you may have.