Celebrate the Jubilee naturally
Spend time with the swans this bank holiday weekend
The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust is encouraging people to celebrate The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee naturally, by making a visit to WWT Arundel Wetland Centre part of their bank holiday weekend. The Queen is the patron of the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust and Prince Charles is it’s president. “Time spent with nature is a gentle way to celebrate the Queen’s 60th Jubilee” said Olivia Iles, Arundel Wetland Centre manager “A walk around the reserve can also help burn calories from the cupcakes and scones we are all likely to eat at parties in her honour.”
Wild mute swans are regular visitors at Arundel Wetland Centre. A pair nesting on Swan Lake outside the visitor gallery hatched 7 cygnets last week. The Queen has ownership of all mute swans in the UK, a holdover from the past when swans were a delicious dish at royal banquets. These days the Queen only exercises her mute swan ownership on certain stretches of the Thames and its tributaries. These protected mute swans are ringed and health checked after an annual ceremony called Swan Upping every summer.
During the June bank holiday weekend Arundel Wetland Centre is running The Quack Factor event with family activities, pond dipping and boat safaris included in the admission price. WWT Arundel Wetland Centre is open from 9:30 am – 5:30 pm seven days a week. Call 01903 881530 or visit www.wwt.org.uk/arundel for information.
