Merry Christmas from Wildwood

We've had wonderful year here at Wildwood and we'd like to thank all of our members, visitors and supporters for helping to make Wildwood special,
we couldn't do it without you.

We hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and a very happy new year!

 

Wildwood Christmas Opening Times:
Christmas Day: Closed
Boxing Day: Closed

All other days,including New Year's Day:10am - 3pm (park closes 4pm)

 

Watch us on BBC Countryfile - Sunday 29th December

Wildwood is the location for the BBC Countryfile Christmas Special,  in which Ellie Harrison (pictured) explores the plight of some of Britain's most endangered animals.

Catch the show on BBC1 at 6.00pm on Sunday 29th December

About the show:

Ellie Harrison visits the native animal park Wildwood, in Kent, to find out more about the UK's home-grown animals both past and present and how they could feature in our plans for the future. Ellie meets head of the park Peter Smith to learn why beavers are the perfect habitat managers for waterways and helps to survey the park's 250-strong water vole population. She then helps to feed wild boars in the woods and watches a lynx pounce on its dinner. Next, Ellie enters the wolf enclosure to try to get a feeling of what life could be like if they were allowed to roam free in Britain again. Then she meets a much less scary predator – a wildcat kitten, hand raised and crazy for the Countryfile soundman's fluffy microphone!

Click here to visit the BBC Countryfile website

 

We hope to see you soon!

The Wildwood team.
Wildwood Trust, Herne Common, Herne Bay, Kent. CT6 7LQ. Registered charity no.1093702

 

Christmas at Wildwood - Festive Fun Night, Santa & Trees!

 

Wildwood Festive Fun Night - Saturday 14th December

With special guest; the Lord Mayor of Canterbury

Saturday 14th December from 4pm - FREE entry!

Come along to Wildwood on Saturday 14th December for an evening of Festive Fun including live music, craft stalls and the Wildwood Grand Christmas Raffle - to be drawn by the Lord Mayor of Canterbury.

All proceeds from the event will go towards Wildwood's Pine Marten Appeal to build new pine marten breeding enclosures at the park.

The fun starts at 4pm and features a mini Christmas market selling a range of local crafts and produce including jewellery, aprons, Christmas decorations and gifts, homemade jams, pickles, chutneys and handmade fudge. There will also be include live music, candle-lit walking tours to see Wildwood's reindeer, a static birds of prey display by Falconry South East, festive food and drink, kids Christmas crafts and the chance for children to write and post their letters to Santa.

The evening's entertainment will be centred around our stunning Christmas Grotto, lit with fairy lights, lanterns and open fires.

The Wildwood Grand Christmas Raffle, featuring prizes donated by local businesses and attractions, will be drawn by the Lord Mayor of Canterbury at 5pm. The prize list includes Wildwood zoo keeper for a day, DFDS ferry crossing, dinner at the Michael Caines Restaurant in Canterbury, go-karting at Buckmore Park, a family ticket to Leeds Castle and a family ticket to the Cinderella pantomime at Theatre Royal, Margate. There will also be the chance to win toys and games in the toy tombola; all prizes donated by suppliers to the Wildwood shop.

Raffle tickets are on sale at Wildwood or call 01227 712 111.

Santa's grotto will be open for visitors on a drop-in basis from 5pm onwards, tickets are £7 each and include a present for every child. Visits to Santa before 5pm will need to be pre-booked by calling 01227 712 111.

Wildwood Trust would like to thank the following organisations for their generous contributions towards the Festive Fun Night:

Ark toys, Aurora, Buckmore Park, DFDS Seaways, Diggerland, Falconry South East, Fenwick, Fudge Kitchen, Hever Castle, Hornby, Leeds Castle, Maidstone leisure, Michael Caines restaurant, Canterbury, Odeon cinemas, Quay Imports, Quex foods, Quex Paintball, Sainsburys, Salon Chique, Smugglers Retreat, Theatre Royal Margate, Wickes, Wildwood Restaurants.

 

Christmas fun at Wildwood

We have lots going on at Wildwood this Christmas!

Meet Santa!

Our magical grotto is ready and we await the arrival of Santa Claus who will be at Wildwood with a big sack of toys for (good) boys and girls. Every child gets a special present from Santa! 

7th & 8th December: 12pm - 5pm

14th & 15th December: 12pm - 5pm

16th to 20th December: 3pm - 6pm (each day)

21st, 22nd & 23rd Dec: 12pm - 5pm

24th Dec: 11am - 5pm

Visits to Santa are £7 per child (includes present from Santa). Photos will also be available for an extra charge. Please note that membership or entry fees must also be paid for all visits before 4pm. Visits after 4pm do not attract membership or entry fees, as the rest of Wildwood will be closed.

To book call 01227 712 111 - spaces are limited so please book early to avoid disappointment.

 

Christmas trees on sale

Beautiful, locally grown trees available to buy now from the Wildwood Shop.

5ft Norway Spruce       £25
6ft Norway Spruce       £30
7ft Norway Spruce       £35

4' 6" Nordman Fir         £36
5ft Nordman Fir           £40
6ft Nordman Fir           £50
7ft Nordman Fir           £64

See our new reindeer this Christmas

Wildwood is delighted to introduce two new reindeer to the park! The festive pair, a mother and daughter from the West Midlands Wildlife Park, are the latest additions to our extensive collection of native and once-native British Wildlife.

Chief executive, Peter Smith said "We are delighted to have reindeer at Wildwood; they are a fine example of a once-native animal that has been lost to the UK.  We hope they will both delight our visitors and inspire them to help us in the fight to save our native wildlife."

The mother is a four year old called Holly, whilst her daughter is yet to be named. We will be asking our supporters to choose a suitable name for the youngster in the next few days via our Facebook page.

Visitors can see the reindeer in their enclosure close to the Bat Flight Centre.

Many thanks

The Wildwood Team
Wildwood Trust,
Herne Common,
Herne Bay,
Kent
CT6 7LQ

Tel: 01227 712 111

Registered Charity no. 1093702

Press invite - Wildwood Festive Fun Night, special guest; Lord Mayor of Canterbury

 

 

Press invite - Wildwood Festive Fun Night – 14th December

With special guest - the Lord Mayor of Canterbury

Wildwood Trust will be open late for an evening of Festive Fun including live music, craft stalls and the Wildwood Grand Christmas Raffle - to be drawn by the Lord Mayor of Canterbury.

All proceeds from the event will go towards Wildwood's Pine Marten Appeal to build new pine marten breeding enclosures at Wildwood.

The fun starts at 4pm with a mini Christmas market selling a range of local crafts and produce, with Santa's grotto at the centre of a woodland wonderland area, lit with fairy lights, lanterns and open fires for the evening entertainment.

The Wildwood raffle, featuring prizes donated by local businesses and attractions, will be drawn by the Lord Mayor at 5pm. The prize list includes Wildwood zoo keeper for a day, DFDS ferry crossing, dinner at the Michael Caines Restaurant in Canterbury, go-karting at Buckmore Park, a family ticket to Leeds Castle and a family ticket to the Cinderella pantomime at Theatre Royal, Margate. There will also be the chance to win toys and games in the Wildwood Children's tombola; all prizes donated by suppliers to the Wildwood shop.

Other evening entertainment will include live music from local bands, candle-lit walking tours to see Wildwood's reindeer, a static birds of prey display by Falconry South East, Christmas crafts and the chance for children to write and post their letters to Santa.

Representatives from the media are invited to attend the Festive Fun Night and cover the event. To register your interest, or find out more information please call 01227 712 111, or email fiona@wildwoodtrust.org

Wildwood is situated close to Canterbury, just off the A291 between Herne Bay and Canterbury

 

******ends*****

Fiona Paterson

Wildwood Trust
Herne Common
Herne Bay
Kent
CT6 7LQ

Registered charity no. 1093702

Tel: 01227 712 111
email: fiona@wildwoodtrust.org

 

About Wildwood
Wildwood is a unique wildlife park and conservation charity where you can see British Wildlife past and present, set in 40 acres of stunning ancient woodland. Wildwood offers its members and visitors a truly inspirational way to learn about the natural history of Britain by actually seeing the wildlife that once lived here, like the wolf, beaver, red squirrel, bison, elk, wild boar and many more. Our conservation projects include working to save red squirrels, hazel dormice, water voles as well as breeding pine martens, Scottish wildcats and beaver. Wildwood also actively promotes conservation grazing projects by donating herds of wild horses to act as natural habitat managers on nature reserves to improve biodiversity.

 

 

 

Wildwood urgently needs your help to save dormice this winter

 

Wildwood urgently needs your help to save dormice this winter.

This winter Wildwood really needs your help to save vulnerable young dormice. The strong winds and persistent heavy rain have been disastrous for these tiny creatures, destroying their nests and leaving many unable to survive.

 

Every year Wildwood steps into action to house rescued young dormice and this year the conditions are exceptionally harsh, stretching our limited resources. Dormice are some of the most endangered mammals in Britain, so it's vital that we act to protect our remaining wild populations.

 

We urgently need funds to pay for their care, food, vets' bills and for repairs to our woodland dormice enclosures.

 

Please will you help Wildwood to save baby dormice this winter?

 

How your donation can help:

£10   – could cover costs to care for a baby dormouse for a week

£20   – could buy some new timber to construct the much needed woodland breeding enclosures

£50   – could buy a month's supply of British nuts, the best food we can give our captive dormice

£100 – could buy the wire netting needed for one new woodland breeding enclosure

 

 

Please help by donating whatever you can:

• To donate by telephone please call Wildwood on 01227 712111
  
• To donate online please visit mydonate.bt.com/events/dormouseappeal

Thank you - we really appreciate your support.

The Wildwood Team

 

Wildwood Trust

Herne Common

Herne Bay

Kent

CT6 7LQ
Tel: 01227 712 111

Registered charity no. 1093702