Pig welcome day - Sunday 20th November 2005

Mandy and her two piglets, Molly & Maggie arrived at the Farm on Tuesday 15th November. Their arrival marked the end of a huge fundraising drive by staff, volunteers and local people.

The volunteer team led by Ked and Helen, built four paddocks for the pigs, so area's can be rested if they get too churned up. They also made a nursery-feeding pen for the piglets so they can eat with out mum helping out!

The Piglets were born on 7th September 2005 at St. James' City Farm in Gloucester. Mum Mandy will stay at Bath City Farm until the piglets have grown and she will then move on to Lawrence Weston City Farm.

The pigs settled in very quickly and enjoyed being on grass, instead of concrete. They quickly set about digging for roots and tubers. A team of staff and volunteers ensure that the pigs are fed twice daily and in good health. The pig paddocks are just down from the chickens and ducks, in the animal field.

On Sunday the 20th November the Farm officially welcomed the pigs with an open day. The day was well attended despite the freezing fog!

Dick King-Smith, came along on the day and read an excerpt from his book The Sheep Pig.

Everyone then made their way to the pig pens to meet the new recruits. Mandy, Molly & Maggie soon put in appearance when the pig nut bucket was rattled!

After the pigs had eaten, Dick King-Smith gave a speech of welcome and cut the ribbon on the pig pen. Then small groups were allowed into the paddock in turn to meet and fuss the pigs.

Honey, Ashley and chalkie the goats, the sheep, ducks and hens also had plenty of visitors despite the bitter weather, so all on the Farm were happy!

As well as welcoming the pigs children and adults were able to join in with piggy themed activities in the warm with Shiva, our Community Player Ranger and Tamsin Hughes, our volunteer youth worker. They made pig snouts, the three little pigs houses, painted pictures and wrote stories.

It was a fantastic day and we are very grateful to everyone who came on the day, our brilliant volunteers and Dick King-Smith, for supporting the day.

Everyone said that they had enjoyed coming along, and after all that fuss and attention the pigs slept very well that night!