THE FUTURE of Stratford Butterfly Farm is safe for the next 50 years.
The announcement that the tourist hotspot has secured a lease for a further half century was made at its 40th anniversary celebrations on Friday July 18.
Over 80 guests attended the celebrations hosted by Clive Farrell, the butterfly farm’s director, including town mayor Coun Dani Hunter and Stratford MP Manuela Perteghella.
Other guests included representatives from local businesses, VIPs and Clive’s wife Rajna and his children, Luke and Sonja. Sonja has recently joined the team as operations manager.
Over 40 years ago Clive had a dream to create an attraction that would introduce visitors to the wonderment of butterflies. This dream became a reality in 1985 when the butterfly farm opened its gates to the public, and 40 years on, remains the UK’s largest and most successful butterfly farm.
Since then, over five million visitors and two million school children, have walked among the tropical butterflies in the live displays.
An anniversary floral display in the shape of a butterfly was created for the event by head horticulturist Coogan Middlebrook and assisted by Will Gorst, Andy Middlebrook and Terry Middlebrook.
Guests also saw the opening of a new exhibition within Rainforest Realm which houses a pair of Sumatran Pit Vipers, and were treated to a slice of handmade cake decorated with tropical flowers and blue morpho butterflies.
Marketing manager Jane Kendrick said: “Thank you to our invited guests that attended the 40th anniversary celebration. The hard work, talent and dedication of the team over the last few months has been incredible, this includes our wonderful volunteers and work experience students. We wouldn’t be here today if Clive had not come up with the bold idea to open a tropical butterfly paradise in Stratford.”
