THE chance to make a charm to help prevent the plague will be among the free activities on offer to people of all ages as part of a new summer event.

The Route to the Hills programme’s Five Weeks of Summer started on Tuesday and runs until Wednesday, August 31, featuring a wide range of activities to bring Malvern’s heritage to life.

They include the chance to learn about the natural habitats of the Malvern Hills and the opportunity to create a black plague prevention charm as part of a medieval science stall.

The much-loved Revolting Rhymes, penned by children’s author Roald Dahl, will be recreated through a mischievous workshop with poet Jean Atkin at Malvern Library and there will be the chance to play traditional Victorian games.

Children can also take part in the Malvern Heritage Trail Quiz, which challenges them to spell out the name of Malvern’s first monk by finding clues at key landmarks around the town.

The quiz is available from Malvern's tourist information centre in Church Street, at a cost of 30p and children who complete the trail will receive a small prize along with the cultural knowledge they will pick up along the way.

The full timetable of events and booking information is available from routetothehills.co.uk or the tourist information centre.

Route to the Hills is a lottery-funded project aimed at making the most of Malvern’s rich historic and cultural heritage. It will bring those stories to life through the creation of a new walking route connecting the town to the hills and an activity programme.