In pictures: HRH the Duke of Edinburgh helps celebrate Wandlebury’s 70th anniversary
Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh visited Wandlebury Country Park today (Tuesday, 5 November) to help mark the occasion of 70 years since Cambridge Past, Present and Future acquired it and turned it into Cambridge’s first country park.
His Royal Highness’ visit began by meeting the charity’s staff, volunteers and apprentices from the National Stud at the Godolphin Stallion Memorial located inside Wandlebury ring.
Godolphin was one of three horses that were the founders of the modern thoroughbred horse racing, and is reputed to be buried at Wandlebury.
Cambridge PPF CEO James Littlewood and countryside manager Ed Wombwell accompanied the duke on a walk past some of Wandlebury’s notable spots, including the beech woodland and the iron age ditch, introducing him to the history of Wandlebury, and the charity’s plans to expand the park and create new habitats.
The duke met Wandlebury’s popular weekly healthy walking group along the way, and stopped for a flat white with one sugar at the park’s pop-up café, The Coffee Station.
The duke then visited Wandlebury’s Education Centre where he was introduced to volunteers from the charity’s wider projects, including Hinxton Watermill, Bourn Windmill, Coton Nature Reserve and the Blue Plaque scheme, who spoke about these heritage and nature sites and their importance to the Cambridge area.
He also met children from St Luke’s C of E Primary School visiting as part of one of Wandlebury’s Iron Age education projects who presented His Royal Highness with a thumb-print picture they made of the autumn colours of the Wandlebury trees.
The duke then met a large crowd of Wandlebury’s members, visitors, supporters and corporate partners, who had gathered to plant a tree as part of a new copse of three trees - a new project to transform farmland into wildlife habitat.
Wandlebury donors and supporters will be able to bid to plant the two other trees that will eventually reside next to the duke’s tree.
Contact Milly Iturra to sponsor one of these very special trees, at development@cambridgeppf.org.
The duke then cut a special memorial cake to mark the occasion of 70 years of Wandlebury Country Park, which was shared with all the signatories, visitors, staff, volunteers and school children.
Ed Wombwell, who accompanied the duke around the park, said: “We know how much pleasure Wandlebury has given to generations of people, and we are proud of our work to increase nature and preserve history.
“We are so delighted that the duke has made this visit, marking the importance of Wandlebury and helping it to continue to be an amazing place for the next 70 years.”
The Wandlebury 70th birthday appeal is live on the Cambridge PPF website (cambridgeppf.org/wandlebury-70th-birthday-appeal).
The Duke went on to visit Cambridge Junction and the ADC Theatre in Cambridge. You can see our pictures from the ADC here.
Look out for more in this week’s Cambridge Independent, out from Wednesday, 6 November.
