I have become friends with Byron and his staff at Lichfield Garden Centre as they have helped me out at Gardeners’ World Live and I really like have contacts and working with local companies. Last year, I helped them set up a camera nest box and camera on their bird feeders and I have been to a couple of their events.
This weekend, they opened their Christmas Shop and had a few visitors in to draw in the visitors. I agreed to do an activity for kids… making Fir Cone Bird Feeders, Steve Perry , a volunteer for the RSPB was there as well as well as Tropical Inc. This is a company who specialise in fun & interactive presentations and displays of exotic creatures.
I set up inside, in the warm, with the RSPB next to me. Whenever I do an event like this, I ask for donations and then this money goes to Joan at the West Midlands Hedgehog Rescue.
It was not long before the visitors started arriving and we were busy coating fir cones with a fat and seed mixture, getting nice and sticky! I had lots of happy kids and adults going away with their feeder, all ready to hang in their garden!
When the crowds had died down a bit, I went out to have a look at the animals that Tropical Inc had brought with them and it was not long before I was getting up close and personal (of course!!!) I started with the stunning Reticulated Python…..
Then it was the beautiful Macaws, one of which was 53 years old!….
There was also a skunk and a variety of tarantulas, cockroaches and other great creatures for people to touch, hold and experience!
I am going to look into getting this company into school next term as this would be fantastic for the Rainforest Topic in year 6 and the kids would absolutely LOVE getting up so close to some of these creatures!
Thank you to all the wonderful people who made a Fir Cone feeder and donated some money. I raised £27 for West Midlands Hedgehogs!
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