Watch out, there’s a mouse about! Festive family trail launched for Shrewsbury

Chris Mouse is a completely original character created by Aaron Child, owner of Highly Flammable Studios in Shrewsbury.

Aaron gave his time for free to work with the Shrewsbury BID team to develop, write and record a Christmas tale featuring the special mouse, while Charlotte Ellis, an illustrator and graphic designer at Highly Flammable Studio, brought Chris to life in full colour.

Throughout December, he will be enlisting visitors’ help to recover the lost pages of his story.  

As visitors follow Chris around Shrewsbury, the town centre will be turned into an illustrated storybook, with seven windows featuring pop-up scenes from Chris’ life and 30 more offering a glimpse of Chris as he gets up to mischief around the town.

Also attached to the trail is a completely original story featuring Chris Mouse, available to read and listen to for free via Original Shrewsbury. 

A map of Chris’s lost memoirs is available via Original Shrewsbury – people can simply scan a Wayfinder or postcode to access.

The visitor who posts the best selfie with any Chris, big or small, will also receive a £100 voucher to spend in a town centre business of their choice.

Seb Slater, executive director of Shrewsbury BID, said: “Christmas is an exciting time of year and we are anticipating big numbers coming into the town to do their shopping, dine and enjoy the atmosphere. 

“The run-up to the big day is a busy time for Shrewsbury's wide variety of businesses, who always embrace the festive season eagerly and help to make our wonderful town as welcoming as possible for our visitors. 

“This Christmas, we are excited to introduce a completely original character in the form of Chris Mouse, a cheeky mouse who hibernates through spring and summer, begins to sneak about in October, appears more and more in November and is everywhere you look in December!” 

Charlotte Ellis, the artist who brought Chris to life, said: “I loved drawing Chris and I felt like the more I drew him, the more I got to know his personality.

“Aaron and I work really well together; I like how he will throw me bizarre requests like ‘Can you draw Chris riding a tiny sleigh powered by fireworks?’ Just another day in the studio!

“I’m looking forward to seeing the town's reaction to Chris. He’s a character with a lot of heart and a lot of fun stories. I think kids and adults are going to love discovering his ‘mousemoirs’!”

Becky Rawlins, of Hopefully Made, which hosts one of the ‘pop up’ scenes from Chris’s life, said: “We wouldn’t usually welcome a mouse in our coffee shop, but we’ve made an exception for Chris Mouse.

“It’s so lovely to have something completely original on offer this year and we’re looking forward to welcoming lots of families on the hunt for his lost pages – and perhaps a hot drink and a cake while they’re looking!” 

Chris Mouse is just one of a raft of activities on offer to make Shrewsbury sparkle in the run-up to Christmas.

Shrewsbury BID has also brought back the Letters to Santa post-box, allowing children to post letters to the North Pole via Shrewsbury Square - and receive a response, coordinated the installation of wall-mounted Christmas trees throughout the town centre, and more.