The Burton Swans

Before I start this post, I just want to mention the train derailment near Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire which occurred yesterday morning. Three people died when a train came off the rails following a landslide, and I wanted to express my sorrow and pass on my condolences to the friends and families of the victims.

This morning, Thursday 13th August 2020, I set out to have a walk around Burton upon Trent, where I live. I was on a mission to see and photograph all of the Burton Swans, an outdoor art installation in the town. 25 carved wooden swans are located all around the town centre, and all of them have been decorated by artists. Local businesses have sponsored the swans, and after 10 weeks (in mid-October), they will all be auctioned off, with the proceeds going to the Burton YMCA, who work with the town’s homeless and people in crisis.

The walk took me two and a quarter hours, and I travelled around six and a half miles. I set off early in the morning, when it was less busy. If you live in Burton, or plan to visit in the next nine weeks, then you can get involved in this by visiting the Burton Swans website or following them on all good social media platforms. On their website, you can find out more about the project, the sponsors (or “swansors” as they call them) and the artists. There is a map available to download, and also apps for Apple and Android devices. Just search for “Burton Swans” on your app store.

Thanks very much for reading. I’m hoping to get back out on the trains next week, so look out for the blog post on Thursday. In the meantime, you can follow this blog on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, as well as here on WordPress.