First ever bionic bird feeding
A boy has used his new bionic hand to feed the birds at WWT Llanelli Wetland Centre for the first time.
Alan Gifford, 10, from Loughor near Swansea lost his hands when he was just three years old. They had to be amputated due to a medical condition in order to save his life.
Alan visited WWT Llanelli Wetland Centre last year, before his bionic hand was fitted, and found it difficult to feed the ducks, swans and geese from around the world that live there. This week he returned for the first time to see if the birds would feed from his bionic hand.
And they did! The red-breasted geese particularly loved him. This is a species who’s recorded numbers have halved in the last decade and WWT is working to protect their last main wintering ground in Bulgaria.
WWT Learning Assistant, Heini Evans said:
“Alan was filled with joy when, on his return, the ducks and geese waddled up to him to feed out of his new bionic hand. They are without a doubt the only ducks and geese in the UK, or even the World, to be fed from a bionic hand!”
You can follow Alan’s amazing story in a BBC1 Wales documentary at 8.30pm tonight.
It’s also the story of his family – his mum Hannah set up a charity to raise the £30,000 needed for the bionic hand so that Alan could join his brothers and sisters in doing simple things – like feeding the birds – that others take for granted.
Fundraising events supported by families across South and West Wales have included a fancy dress walk round Swansea Bay and a charity motorcycle ride.
Alan hopes to be back at WWT Llanelli Wetland Centre in the summer to realise another of his childhood dreams...to ride a bicycle.
A huge thank you from WWT to Alan, his mum Hannah, and all the family for coming along and inviting us to be a part of your inspiring story.
