Club Wilber visit Harry Potter World

Last week, our Club Wilber families set off on our biggest trip yet, to London and the Harry Potter Studio Tour! Accompanied by Ellen and Jenny from Activities and Events, and armed with a magical themed goody- bag, the coach full of excited Potter fans made their way down to Watford for an overnight stay, before embarking on a day of magic.

On the Saturday morning the group arrived at the studio to be greeted by the dragon from Gringotts bank flying above them. On a big screen, the stars of the films introduced the magical tour in the auditorium before the children got to push open the doors of Hogwarts to walk into the Main Hall open where we were welcomed to the Magical world of Harry Potter

With the aid of guides, who the families have described as ‘truly wonderful’ and ‘fantastic’, the children were able to explore the museum with audio description and touch. Being able to feel the props and costumes really helped to bring the films and stories to life and was a real VIP touch.

The group were able to explore sets such as Diagon Alley and The Great Hall, and sets like Gringotts Bank could be imagined further by the ability to feel the hands from the costume of one of the goblins. The amazing experience of touching the real props used by the actors, alongside music and audio from the film being played, made every room a magical, sensory experience.

For fans of any film, being able to get up close to see and touch the real set and props is a magical experience and for Club Wilber, to see the model of Hogwarts and to meet some of the character models, was no exception. Favourite experiences from the visit were climbing on board the Night Bus and sitting in Ron Weasley’s flying car! They even faced their fear of spiders in the Forbidden Forest!

After a busy day immersing in all things magic, the group headed off for an early tea before making their way back up the motorway to York. A trip like this is a big milestone for Club Wilber and it meant the world to see the smiles on the faces of our young people and families.

We couldn’t provide our Club Wilber activities and events, from Pizza Parties at Wilberforce House, to exciting trips away from home, without the help from our supporters and donors. A huge thank you to Happy Days Children’s Charity who helped make this magical trip happen!