Wild about the Wensum

Wild About the Wensum 2011

2011-03-31T07:27:00.000-07:00

Saturday 21st May

10.00am - 5.00pm

parking £4.00 per car

FREE ENTRY to Pensthorpe Nature Reserve, host of BBC Springwatch The great environmental awareness event. Buglife, gyuided walks, many creative crafts, bird watching, nature quizzes, puzzles, archery, face painting, recycling display and lots more......

CELEBRITY OPENING:- Jelly from CBeebies at 11.00am

This event is a fun filled day for all the family. This year we are raising money towards butterflies and thier companion plants along the river wensum. The money will be used towards the creation and maintenance of essential habitat areas for butterflies and caterpillars.

Games included for this year include a human fruit machine, lots of butterfly crafts, archery, vintage amusements and lots lots more.

More information on the event can be found on www.pensthorpe.com/events/index.php?eventId=161

Pensthorpe can be found on the A1067 one mile from Fakenham. NR21 0LN

2010-04-21T05:36:00.000-07:00

Saturday 22nd May 2010

One mile from Fakenham off the A1067

T 01328 851465

FREE ENTRY into Pensthorpe
Host of BBC Springwatch

Open 10am-5pm, parking £4 per car

Donations support the House Sparrow

Buglife, guided walks, many creative crafts

bird watching, nature quizzes, puzzles,

face painting, local craft demonstrations,

recycling display and lots more...

Hosted by

The great environmental awareness event

Confirmed Stands at Wild About the Wensum 2010

2009-11-01T05:24:00.000-08:00

Pensthorpe Conservation Trust
BBC Norfolk - Talks & interviews
Fakenham Bowmen - have a go Archery
Norfolk Wildlife Trust
Ryburgh Wildlife Group
Open University Minibeast activity
Norfolk Ramblers Association - guided walk around park at 10.30am
British Trust for Ornithology - making paper birds
Fakenham Museum of Gas and Local History
Norfolk Non-Native Species Initiative / Norfolk Biodiversity Partnership - live examples of worst invaders
Easton College
Team Eco, Fakenham College - Interactive display
Adult Education
Butterfly Conservation - Badge making
Energy Saving Trust
Norfolk Beekeepers
Wensum Valley Birdwatching Society - Make and do and Guide in the Hide
East Winch Wildlife Centre RSPCA - Brass Rubbing
Fakenham High School - Bug box demonstration
Hawk & Owl Trust - Pellet dissecting
RSPB
Wensum Valley Trust- Games & quizzes
Fakenham Young Naturalists - Jigsaw / quiz - Walk, " birdwatching for youngsters"
Norfolk County Council - Countryside Access - Brass rubbings
EP Youth
Noth Norfolk Woodcarvers
Fakenham Area Conservation Team
Fakenham SNT - Norfolk Constabulary
Norfolk Family Learning - Craft activities
North Norfolk District Council- Building Sparrow Bird Boxes / Planting Wildflower seed
Norfolk Ornithological Association Giant migration map / Moths on display
Sylvanus - Archeological, Natural History & Illustration services - Identifying bones
World of woodlice - looking at woodlice
Norfolk Constabulary - the role of a wildlife officer
Norfolk Amphibian and Reptile Group - mask making and advice
Environment Agency - making dragonflies
Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust - Frog hoopla
Norfolk Anglers' Conservation Association
Norfolk Federation of Women's Institutes
North Norfolk District Council - Compost gove away
Norfolk Conservation Corps
North Norfolk Workout Project - Practical conservation
Fakenham Lancaster Air Scouts - Tradtional scouting activities

Music by Rig a Jig Jig

Wild About the Wensum 2010

2009-10-17T06:49:00.000-07:00

Plans are well under way for next years big event. Once again Bill & Deb Jordan are allowing FREE ENTRANCE to the Reserve for all visitors attending the Wild About the Wensum event, (there will be a nominal parking charge on the day)

I welcome all ideas for making the show even better; if you have any ideas that you would like to see at the show please contact me on

info@pensthorpe.com or call me on 01328 851465

I hope to see you at the event next year,

All the best, Kirsty

Wild About the Wensum 2009 - Thank you

2009-10-17T06:40:00.000-07:00

A big thank you to all who contributed in making Wild About the Wensum 2009 such a brilliant success.

We had well over 4,000 visitors on the day, helping to raise over £900.00 to go towards our nominated conservation species the 'Barn Owl'. The money will be donated to the 'Wensum Valley Community Owls Project' which is a collaboration between the Wensum Valley Trust, Hawk & Owl and Wensum Valley Birdwatching Society.

The overall aims of the project are to increase public awareness, nesting sites and the breeding populations of five small owl and raptor species along the Wensum Valley.

Saturday 16th May

2009-05-09T04:31:00.000-07:00

Wild About the Wensum 2009 promises to be a fun filled day for all the family. There will be lots of interactive stands (please see list below) along with guided walks running throughout the day.

Opening times: 10.00am - 5.00pm

Admission: FREE

Car Parking: £4.00 per car

DON'T MISS.... our grand opening at 11.00am inside the park by CBeebies star "Jelly"

Barn Owl Colouring Competition 2009

2009-05-09T04:25:00.000-07:00

Colour in this barn owl and bring it along on the day.

2009 event

2009-02-17T14:03:00.001-08:00

Wild About the Wensum
Saturday 16th May 2009

Adult Education Guided Walks @ 11.15am / 1.00pm / 3.30pm
Archaeological Bones Display of Archaeological bones
Archery Fakenham
BBC
British Dragonfly Society Live larvae
British Trust for Ornithology Making paper birds
Bronze rubbing and info
Butterfly Conservation Badge Making
Car parking and fun games
DW Tipping Wood Carvings
Energy Saving Trust Energy Saving Freebies and info
Environmental issues re:food waste
EP Youth Face Painting
Fakenham Area Conservation Team
Fakenham Area Partnership
Fakenham High School Role Model Project
Fakenham High School Team Eco
Fakenham Lancaster Baden-Powell Air Scout Group
Fakenham Learning Communtiy
Fakenham Museum Display on Darwin
Fakenham Young Naturalists Quiz and jigsaw Guided walk @ 11.30am / 2.30pm
Friends of Steve Newing House Making and decorating bugs
Guide in the Wader Scrape hide all day
Hawk and Owl Trust Owl Crafts and pellet dissection
Hog Roast
Interactive migration map
Mask making
Natural Gardens Wildlife friendly plants
Norfolk & Norwich Naturalist’s Society
Norfolk Amphibian & Reptile Group
Norfolk Bee Keepers Bee Information
Norfolk Biodiversity Partnership EVENT SPONSOR
Norfolk Constabulary
Norfolk County Council – environment
Norfolk Family Learning Art Activities
Norfolk Farmhouse Ice Cream
Norfolk Federation of Women’s Institutes
Norfolk Fungus Study Group Hands on display
Norfolk Moths Moths and larvae
Norfolk Ornithologists’ Association
Norfolk Ramblers Association Guided walk at 10.30am
Norfolk Wildlife Trust Guided walk with David North @ 11.30am
North Norfolk Carvers Club
North Norfolk District Council Compost give away
North Norfolk District Council Mask Making
North West Division Guides Fun Games
PCT
Red Squirrels
Rig a Jig Jig music
Role Model Project
RSPB Badge Making
RSPCA x-rays and brass rubbings
Ryburgh Wildlife Group Guided walk with Steve Cale @ 2.30pm
Team Eco
Wensum Valley Birdwatching Society
Wensum Valley Trust
WI
Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust Badge making
World Of Woodlice Invertebrate display

2008 event

2009-02-17T14:01:00.001-08:00

The 2008 nominated species was Marsh Harrier

Above is the Marsh Harrier cut-out. Click on the image for a large version. Then right-click > save as > print your own copy!

Scenes from the 2008 event

2007 event

2009-02-17T13:56:00.000-08:00

The 2007 nominated species was Bittern. Funding received by the Norfolk Ornithologists’ Association following Wild About the Wensum 2007 was spent on ditch restoration at the NOA’s Hempton Marsh Reserve. Clearing of the North Ditch on the reserve took place in February 2008 and has significantly improved the drainage of the reserve, enhancing the habitat for wetland species such as Bittern and also Water Vole. This ditch work is an important part of a wider management plan to the site and was achieved with the support of money raised at the Wild About the Wensum event.

Ditch before clearing (top) and ditch after clearing (bottom).