About The Trust
Since 1992 the Berwick Swan and Wildlife Trust has rescued, treated and released over 1000 swans, but countless other sick and injured animals have been brought to us from as far afield as Newcastle, Edinburgh, the Lothians, and the west of Scotland. All wild creatures deserve our help, and each one that is successfully treated and returned to the wild helps to maintain the rich variety of the natural world, and contributes to our own enjoyment of it.
Why the Trust Was Formed
The initial impetus behind the creation of the Trust was to provide support for the local Berwick swan herd. It was recognised that, being concentrated in one place, a single environmental catastrophe could prove very costly to a colony of this size. A major pollution incident in the Tweed estuary might, for example, affect not just the resident swan population but numerous visiting birds from other regions as well. It was therefore felt necessary to provide some form of safety-net in the event of an emergency.
It was an incident in the autumn of 1991 which led to the establishment of the Trust. A chemical spillage from a factory contaminated many of the swans, and only the swift action of a small band of volunteers under the direction of local vet David Rollo averted a disaster. Emergency facilities were set up and several hundred swans were captured, decontaminated and rehabilitated locally and at animal care centres before being returned to the river. In the event only a handful of swans were lost, but had it not been for the dedication of this small team the story would have been very different.
The sheer scale of this rescue operation highlighted the need for some form of permanent support for the swan herd, and more volunteers were recruited to help set up a Charitable Trust which would care not only for the swans but other wildlife both north and south of the border. The following May the Trust was formed and the public were invited to make donations or to join as paid-up members. The response was excellent, with 290 new members recruited in the first year, and offers of help from businesses and charities. Local businessman William Leith kindly gave permission for a large empty lobster shed on the quayside in Berwick to be used as a Rescue Centre.
NWET Swan House*
The Lobster Shed - unofficially christened ‘the Swan Hilton’ - was soon in use, and over the next seven years over 700 swans were treated there. It was, however, only a temporary solution, and in 1998 the council announced plans to demolish the building as part of a quayside development scheme. It was imperative that suitable new premises were found quickly, and in March 1998 the Trust launched an appeal to raise funds to buy a permanent treatment centre in Berwick. Donations flooded in, including a generous grant from Northumbrian Water Environmental Trust (NWET), which finally allowed the Berwick Swan and Wildlife Trust to complete the purchase of premises on the outskirts of the town.
The NWET Swan House was officially opened in April 1999 by Berwick MP Alan Beith.
NWET's generosity has also enabled the Trust to adapt and equip the building, plant trees and create ponds on the site, and build recovery sheds and aviaries.
* Please note - To keep disturbance to a minimum visits to Swan House are by appointment only.
Joining The Trust
The easiest way to
help the Trust is to become a member. Your annual membership fee will help us
meet our daily running costs, improve our facilities, and pay for professional
treatment for the sick and injured animals which arrive on our doorstep daily.
If you live locally you can, of course, become actively involved in the Trust's
work through fund-raising, helping out at Swan House, serving on the committee
and in many other ways. So why not join us today? Get
a membership form here
As a new member of the Trust you will receive a complimentary copy of our 16 page full colour booklet, shown left.You will also be sent our regular newsletter, The Cygnet, keeping you informed about coming events and in touch with all the latest news from the Swan House.
Annual Subscription Rates
Adult £6.50 : Under 18 £3.50 : Senior Citizen £3.50 : UB40 £3.50 : Family £9.50
25 Year Membership £75.00 : Commercial £100.00 : Non-Commercial Org £30.00
Trolley Tokens : We have now got a supply of trolley tokens with the phone number printed on. These are very handy to carry with you, and they also double up as key-rings. The cost is £2.00 each which includes postage and packing. If you would like to order please send a cheque made payable to B.S.W.T. to Pat Goff, Ord Moor, Tweedmouth. TD15 2 NF. and we will despatch by return.
How To Contact Us
Our Address : Berwick Swan and Wildlife Trust, Windmill Way East, Ramparts Business Park, Berwick-upon-Tweed TD15 1TU.
For all enquiries please call Trust H.Q. on 01289 302882 and have a pen and paper ready to jot down the number you require
Or click here to e-mail us at : swan-trust@hotmail.co.uk.
All donations payable to BSWT c/o Derek Roughton, Yew Tree Cottage, Branton, Alnwick. NE66 4LW. Telephone 01665 578365.