Page 18 - link magazine

Swindon Wide

St George celebrations plan Easter attractions: there’s so much to see and do!

On Sunday 23 April, the town centre The procession will continue down
will host the annual St George’s Day to Regent Street, Canal Walk and
Festival. . finish at Wharf Green. inSwindon
The event, being organised by BID are inviting schools, community
inSwindon BID Company, will be groups, families and those who
launched at Wharf Green from simply love to have some fun!
11am. Visitors will be welcomed by A talent contest will also be held.
the festival host, the ‘Mischievous The winner will be given the
Court Jester’ who will entertain chance to perform at this year’s
the crowds with his traditional Swindon Town Centre Christmas
children’s games and balloon Lights Switch On – attended by
modelling. more than 10,000 people. Plus, you
Local musicians could win
and singers £250 worth
will perform on of shopping
the main stage vouchers.
throughout the Di Powell,
day. inSwindon
Visitors will BID Manager,
also get to meet said: “The
St. George and town centre
his famous dragon, help rescue a retailers will have a number of
damsel in distress and be greeted ‘Best of British’ promotions on
with amazing juggling medieval offer. Plus, find the ‘Knights Shield
knights on stilts. Competition’ is sure to be a hit with
A free arts and crafts event will be families.
held at Central Library from 11am – This year’s event is sponsored by
12:15pm, where children can make the Swindon Wyvern Theatre.
their own knight shields for the To enter the talent competition
Parade. and for more information visit www. Lambing time at Roves Farm
St. George will also lead a Parade swindontowncentre.co.uk
through the town centre from telephone 01793 485523 or Spring is a wonderful time of year lambing shed will be split into
12:30pm, meeting outside at the e-mail [email protected] to get out into the countryside and three areas; the main lambing
Cenotaph. visit a working farm. area, a number of individual small
Lambing time will be in full pens for new born lambs and their
swing by the end of March and mother, and a family pen (where
into April at Roves Farm. The all the lambs and ewes are moved
farm is expecting more than 400 to when they are a day or two old).
lambs to be born in the barn, and Each ewe is given a number,
with a special viewing platform sprayed onto her wool after
looking down across the lambing lambing, and each of her lambs
shed there will be plenty of are given the same corresponding
opportunities for visitors to see all number.
the new born lambs. This enables the farmer to
The ewes were tupped by the identify which lambs belong to
rams last Autumn, whilst grazing which ewe in case one gets lost
on a neighbouring farm near There’s plenty more going on
Highworth. The gestation period at the farm this month. ‘Nature
for sheep is 147 days. The ewes Detective’ tractor rides explore the
were scanned in January to farm during term time in March
establish the number of lambs and April, and the ever popular
each ewe was carrying and were Easter Bunny is back to his old
marked accordingly with a spray – tricks again during the Easter
red dot for a single lamb, blue dot holidays (8th – 23rd April). Regular
for triplets and no dot for twins. daily activities include meet and
This information is important to feed the animals in Pets Corner,
the farmer to know how much meet piglets of all shapes and
food each ewe should be receiving sizes in the Animal Barn and visit
in the lead up to lambing time. A the heated play barn.
triplet will obviously need much Special toddler activity sessions
more nutrition than a ewe carrying run every weekday during term
just a single. time in the heated activity barn
The ewes will continue to at 10.30am & 1pm, including
graze in the fields until a few bubbles, stories and games,
days before lambing starts on 22 followed by all other daily
March. activities.
Twins and triplets may be www.rovesfarm.co.uk
supplemented with extra food E: [email protected]
during February and March. The T: 01793 763939

18 swindonlink.com n April 2017

SE April 2017 Master Pages.indd 18 17/03/2017 12:16