Butterfly Park Open Day - A Visitor A Minute!

At the beginning of May, New Ferry Butterfly Park held a very successful opening event attracting almost 400 visitors  Many were surprised to find such a wildlife gem in New Ferry. The event was generously sponsored by Aldi, the Railway Inn and Port Sunlight Garden Centre.

June 2010 Newsletter

The opening event raised £374 for the Park but more importantly raised awareness of the park and encouraged locals to make the most of the park. The sculpture trail, curated by the parks first artist in residence Carol Ramsay, will be there all summer. There are 10 perspex etchings to be found hanging up in the trees, with more to be created throughout the season. There are several fun sculptures including “Elastatone” an interactive percussion instrument to play on. Children are invited to help cover the park’s new (t)wigwam with objects found in the park itself. There are nature trails, free quizzes and colouring-in sheets ideal for small children. There is a pond to investigate, plenty of wild flowers and, if sunny, native British butterflies flying.

We were delighted to see David Norman, Chair of Cheshire Wildlife Trust, and he was impressed by visitor numbers, “ a visitor a minute” he quickly calculated. All in all a great success, though visitors out-numbered the flying butterflies about 100:1,  it being rather an overcast and cool day. Many visitors have since made return visits.

Carol Ramsay, has become involved with the park following the ongoing threat of closure. The landlord has told CWT to vacate as he wishes to develop the site and has declined to sell it to CWT. The case is adjourned in the County Court. Thanks to your support in signing the petition (3500 signatures), Wirral MBC have had discussions with the landlord about a positive future for the park, which nevertheless remains at risk.

Carol will also be organising a series of workshops in the Park over the summer. She hopes to use an empty shop in New Ferry as a temporary visitor centre/ art studio for her residency once decisions have been made about the future of the Park.

For more information, visit Carol’s blog about her work or see the brand new website dedicated to the Butterfly Park.

There are more photographs from the event on our blog.

The (T)wigwam

The poster designed by Carol Ramsay to advertise the open day

The park lies behind Aldi and is open by appointment and on summer afternoons 12 till 4 p.m. (unless it is pouring with rain). Entrance is free. There is a team of voluntary wardens to get you started at the park and let you know what to look out for. More offers of voluntary wardening gratefully received - training given.

Contact Paul on 645 8937 or Hilary on 327 5923

for further information.