Butterfly Activities Weekend

Butterfly House Activities Weekend

Sun 1^st & BH Mon 2^nd May 2011

The Berkeley Castle Butterfly House opened last weekend on Good Friday. The first tropical butterflies such as the Blue Morpho (Morpho Peleides) and Owl Butterfly (Caligo Beltrao) had began to hatch throughout April just in time for the opening weekend.

The hard winter, took its toll on some of the specialist plant species grown in the Butterfly House, but due to the generosity of some local supporters, unwanted tropical plants have been donated and the Butterfly House is once again looking stunning, and so are the butterflies.

This weekend Sunday 1st & Bank Holiday Monday 2nd May will be the Butterfly Activities Weekend, with a host of Butterfly inspired activities to enjoy. Visitors can search for the hidden butterflies throughout the Castle Gardens in a Butterfly Trail. Butterfly tales will be told by story tellers in the Rose Garden adjacent to the Butterfly House and visitors can get creative in the Butterfly arts and crafts area – all of which is included within the global ticket.

The Butterfly House is located within the Walled Garden at Berkeley Castle, and it contains up to 25 different species of tropical butterflies which will reproduce throughout the Summer, to maintain and grow the numbers. The team spend many hours every day ensuring that the correct temperature and environment is maintained to ensure the optimum flying, feeding and breeding conditions for the butterflies.

Last year the Butterfly House was featured on ITV West when nine of the world’s largest moths, the Atlas Moth all hatched together in August. Visit the Butterfly House this weekend to see if any of the pupae hatch while you watch!

Visitors can learn about the life cycle of these beautiful creatures, staff are always on hand to answer questions and to explain about the balance of nature created in this Butterfly paradise on the Berkeley Estate.

For more information contact the Castle Office on 01453 810332, or e-mail info@berkeley-castle.com . Browse the website www.berkeley-castle.com.

E N D

Photo captions:

Notes 1:

More Information about the Butterfly House:

Exotic species, from as far afield as Japan and Indonesia, fly freely in a tranquil tropical oasis and it is a wonderful opportunity to see rare species in beautiful surroundings. Species include the South American Blue Morpho, Glasswing, Hecales Longwing, Small Postman and the Owl Butterfly; as well as the Clipper, Mormons, Swallowtails, Lacewing & Tree Nymph all from South Asia.

The house is also home to the worlds largest moth – the Atlas Moth!

Visitors can observe their life cycle up-close through the display of caterpillars and chrysalises.

At the start of the season pupae of the different species is brought in, and butterflies are hatched in the nursery. Once hatched, they are able to breed freely in the idyllic surroundings, which are created by the tropical temperature and their preferred food sources.

Speciality plants are grown on site, some from all over the world.

The team spend many hours every day ensuring that the correct temperature and environment is maintained to ensure the optimum flying, feeding and breeding conditions for the butterflies.

Insects and pests damaging to the plants are kept at bay by the resident Chinese painted quail and diamond doves, who patrol the Butterfly House, organically controlling the bugs.

As the season progresses the numbers of butterflies soars – creating the most spectacular visual experience, as the Butterfly House teems with hundreds of tropical butterflies.

The Butterfly House shop is also open to non-visitors on open days and stocks many butterfly themed collectibles, and children’s gifts, as well ice-creams and various plants.

Note 2.

Berkeley Castle is now open on selected days until 30^th October and the Butterfly House is open, also on selected days until 29^th September 2011. Please check our website for exact opening times. The Global Ticket provides access to the Castle, Ground and the Butterfly House and costs £9.50 for Adults, £7.50 concessions & £5.00 for children (5-16years, under 5’s – free). Family tickets are available (2 adults & 2 children) for £24.00.

Note 3:

Berkeley Castle is a beautiful and historic Castle, begun in 1117 and still remains the home of the Berkeley family. The Castle was the scene of the brutal murder of Edward II in 1327 and besieged by Cromwell’s troops in 1645. The Castle is steeped in history but 27 generations of Berkeley’s have gradually transformed a Norman fortress into the lovely home it is today.

The state apartments contain magnificent collections of furniture, rare paintings by primarily English and Dutch masters, and tapestries. Some of the world famous Berkeley silver is on display and many other rooms including the Great Hall are available to view.

The Castle is surrounded by lovely terraced Elizabethan Gardens with a lily pond, Elizabeth I’s bowling green, sweeping lawns and a walled garden containing the Butterfly House.

For general information contact the Castle Office on 01453 810332, or e-mail info@berkeley-castle.com. Browse the website http://www.berkeley-castle.com/.

For more information:

Vicky Parr, General Manager

T: 01453 810332

E: Vicky.parr@berkeley-castle.com

NADFAS Volunteers help-out at the Castle

Berkeley Castle has been working together with volunteers from the regional National Association of Decorative & Fine Arts Societies group (NADFAS). Members from the West Gloucestershire DFAS Group have been working with staff at the Castle to photograph the entire contents of the public rooms of the Castle.

The project was started in January 2011, and a team of eight volunteers has been visiting the Castle every fortnight since then. Heritage Volunteer Representative of the West Gloucestershire NADFAS Group, Monica Evans approached the Castle back in April 2010, with the offer to undertake a project at the Castle. After meeting with Monica, Sian Rogers (Heritage Volunteer Representative for West Mercia DFAS) and the Castle General Manager in June, it was agreed that the photography project was of great interest to both parties and NADFAS HQ authorisation would be sought. Following that subsequent approval the project team met at the Castle in the autumn and planned the start of the project.

Volunteers are now in the process of completing the project and have now photographed well over 600 items from the Castle’s collection. That is an immense achievement in itself, but it is worth mentioning that the photography coincided with the services installation works at the Castle, which meant that the volunteers were often working around the on-site contractors, stepping over holes in the floors, and circumnavigating scaffold towers!

The NADFAS team has included Julian Berrisford, Joan Bloore, Ray Davies, George Duff, Monica Evans, Margaret Macnair, Chris Manning and Anne Mogie, some of which are pictured here in the Long Drawing Room with Dave Wintle and Vicky Parr from the Castle.

The photographs will be used within a new system called ‘Icollector’ being adopted by Berkeley Castle Charitable Trust from Sotheby’s, which contains all the information in one secure database to help collate and manage the entire collection at the Castle.

As the project has gone so successfully, it is hoped that there may be other projects that the volunteers may be able to help with at the Castle.

E N D

About NADFAS:

NADFAS is an arts-based charity, with over 340 local Decorative and Fine Art Societies in the UK and Mainland Europe. All NADFAS Societies subscribe to the aims and objects of the National Association: the advancement of arts education and appreciation and the preservation of our artistic heritage.

NADFAS promotes these aims through lectures on the fine and decorative arts in their widest sense, through study days, visits and tours and through volunteering activities, such as Church Recorders, Heritage Volunteers and Young Arts and the giving of grants.

NADFAS volunteers learn new skills, while making friends and benefiting the community at large. Young Arts Volunteers provide exciting projects and activities aimed at fostering a love of the arts amongst the young. At national and local level, NADFAS also gives grants to aspiring artists and craftsmen

For further information visit www.nadfas.org.uk.

About Berkeley Castle:

Berkeley Castle is a beautiful and historic Castle, begun in 1117 and still remains the home of the Berkeley family. The Castle was the scene of the brutal murder of Edward II in 1327 and besieged by Cromwell’s troops in 1645. The Castle is steeped in history but 27 generations of Berkeley’s have gradually transformed a Norman fortress into the lovely home it is today.

The state apartments contain magnificent collections of furniture, rare paintings by primarily English and Dutch masters, and tapestries. Some of the world famous Berkeley silver is on display and many other rooms including the Great Hall are available to view.

The Castle is surrounded by lovely terraced Elizabethan Gardens with a lily pond, Elizabeth I’s bowling green, sweeping lawns and a walled garden containing the Tropical Butterfly House (open Easter – September).

The Castle is licensed to hold Civil Wedding Ceremonies and Civil Partnerships, as well as evening receptions and functions.

The Castle is open to visitors on selected days from Sunday 3rd April to Sunday 30th October 2011.

For general information contact the Castle Office on 01453 810332, or e-mail info@berkeley-castle.com. Browse the website www.berkeley-castle.com.

For more information:

Vicky Parr

General Manager, Berkeley Castle

BERKELEY Gloucestershire GL13 9BQ

T: 01453 810332

F: 01453 512995

E: vicky.parr@berkeley-castle.com

W: www.berkeley-castle.com

** STOP PRESS **

Berkeley Castle helps promote

The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader

In addition to our Easter activities which are detailed below, Berkeley Castle has been selected to help promote the DVD release of The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader which is out now on Blu-ray Triple Play from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.

Visitors to the Castle over the Easter Weekend can win copies of the DVD in our Easter activities, as we have 50 copies hot off the press from Twentieth Century Fox. Other Narnia goodies are being shipped to the Castle as we speak and will be available over the Easter weekend.

Berkeley Castle raises money for  

Sue Ryder Hospice this Easter

Looking for inspiration on where to take the kids during the Easter holidays – look no further than Berkeley Castle.

Throughout the Easter holidays, the Castle is running lots for families to do. There are prizes for completing the Easter Egg Garden Hunt, the Easter Bunny Trail through the Castle. In addition there is a numbers quiz and an A-Z quiz. These are all included within the admission ticket, so no extra to pay!

During the Easter weekend, in addition to the above trails and quizzes, the Castle is also hosting some fund-raising activities for Gloucestershire’s Sue Ryder Hospice. These include a tombola, second-hand book stall, home-made cake stall, guess the weight of the cake, guess the name of the Easter Bunny, as well as garden games and Easter arts & crafts.

In addition to all of this the Butterfly House opens on Good Friday. The Butterfly House is located within the Walled Garden at Berkeley Castle, and contains up to 25 different species of tropical butterflies which will reproduce throughout the Summer, to maintain and grow the numbers.

Visitors can learn about the life cycle of these beautiful creatures, staff are on hand to answer questions and to explain about the balance of nature created in this Butterfly paradise on the Berkeley Estate.

For more information about the Castle, contact the Castle office on 01453 810332, e-mail info@berkeley-castle.com or visit www.berkeley-castle.com.

E N D

About

Leckhampton Court

Hospice:

Sue Ryder - Leckhampton Court Hospice supports people with cancer and other potentially life limiting conditions across Gloucestershire. Their aim is to meet the needs of the whole person, their family and carers, with the support and expertise of a multi-professional specialist palliative care team. Patients are referred for the following reasons:

• Unresolved symptoms, physical, psychological, social or spiritual issues that cannot be managed adequately in other settings requiring specialist intervention from a multidisciplinary team.
• Complex palliative care needs which require reassessment and rehabilitation
• Complex needs, where the patient requires End of Life Care.

Working in partnership with the primary health care team to support patients to be cared for in their own homes and offer a range of specialist palliative care services.

The Hospice at Home Service is a flexible and responsive service aiming to compliment existing health and social care services and support patients to remain in their own homes for as long as possible

For more information:

Tel:                  01242 230199

Website:           http://www.suerydercare.org/leckhamptoncourthospice

About Berkeley Castle:

Berkeley Castle is a beautiful and historic Castle, begun in 1117 and still remains the home of the Berkeley family. The Castle was the scene of the brutal murder of Edward II in 1327 and besieged by Cromwell’s troops in 1645. The Castle is steeped in history but 27 generations of Berkeley’s have gradually transformed a Norman fortress into the lovely home it is today.

The state apartments contain magnificent collections of furniture, rare paintings by primarily English and Dutch masters, and tapestries. Some of the world famous Berkeley silver is on display and many other rooms including the Great Hall are available to view.

The Castle is surrounded by lovely terraced Elizabethan Gardens with a lily pond, Elizabeth I’s bowling green, sweeping lawns and a walled garden containing the Tropical Butterfly House (open Easter – September).

The Castle is licensed to hold Civil Wedding Ceremonies and Civil Partnerships, as well as evening receptions and functions.

The Castle is open to visitors on selected days from Sunday 3^rd April to Sunday 30^th October 2011.

For general information contact the Castle Office on 01453 810332, or e-mail info@berkeley-castle.com. Browse the website www.berkeley-castle.com.

For more information:

Vicky Parr

General Manager, Berkeley Castle

BERKELEY Gloucestershire GL13 9BQ

T: 01453 810332

D: 01453 512999

F: 01453 512995

E: vicky.parr@berkeley-castle.com

W: www.berkeley-castle.com