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PACIFIC NAVIGATOR PILOT VESSEL - STOPPED BRIEFLY AT STEVESON DOCKS TO DROP OFF A MARITIME PILOT BEFORE CONTINUING ONTO HER NEXT ASSIGNMENT.
( 5th image in this series )
PACIFIC NAVIGATOR as seen entering Steveston Harbour.
( 4th image of a continuing series )
A pilot boat is used to transport maritime pilots between land and the inbound or outbound ships that they are piloting.
A maritime pilot, marine pilot, harbor pilot, port pilot, ship pilot, or simply pilot, is a mariner who maneuvers ships through dangerous or congested waters, such as harbors or river mouths. Maritime pilots are regarded as skilled professionals in navigation as they are required to know immense details of waterways such as depth, currents, and hazards, as well as displaying expertise in handling ships of all types and size. Obtaining the title 'maritime pilot' requires being an expert ship handler licensed or authorised by a recognised pilotage authority. WIKIPEDIA
Steveston Fishing Village on the Fraser River
Richmond
BC
Canada
Stay Healthy
~Christie
**Best experienced in full screen
Jill Endfield’s Glasshouse of Immigrants one of the outside displays of Photoville 2018 is actually 45 separate antique windows each of which showcases a glass portrait of contemporary immigrants to form a sing hours that “People Should Not Throw Stones”. The images which definitely have an old feel to them were made using wet-plate collodion, a 150 year-old photographic technique that Jill says einforces the precarious nature of immigration itself. The antique distressed windows represent the hardship of what it means to be an immigrant. Jill is a fine art photographer who expertise lies in old methods like collodion. See it on display at Photoville under the Brooklyn Bridge this weekend, Friday September 21 through Sunday September 23, 2018.
If you are in the New York metro area it's worth the trip to see some impactful and poignant photos in massive shipping containers and workshops by Leica and Adobe that is Photoville under the Brooklyn Bridge in DUMBO annually; I’ll be there volunteering a second straight weekend.
Image captured with Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ50, RAW image processed in Photomatix Pro and cleaned up in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom.
I've just enjoyed a quite exceptional weekend on a photo workshop in Snowdonia run by the super talented Greg Whitton (www.gregwhitton.com). Greg identified some fantastic locations to make the most of what were really excellent conditions throughout, including a 4:15 start on Saturday (!) to get far enough up Y Garn for this kind of view by dawn and sunrise. Spectacular.
Tryfan is the mountain, with Llyn Ogwen below. As you can see we were lucky with an overnight snowfall. Whitton's Weather Wand (Patent Pending) at its best.
I'd absolutely recommend Greg's workshops. He has a reassuringly laid back style, but it was astonishing how much we achieved in the weekend. He was exceptionally effective at passing on his expertise at the right level for the different workshop participants, and keeping us all very happy.
So thanks Greg, and thanks also to David Shickle and Russ Barnes(www.russbarnes.co.uk - amazing to have him there too!) for improving my photography chops during the workshop.
Brass is an alloy composed of copper and zinc, usually for sheet metal, and casting in the proportion of seven parts of the former to three of the latter. Such a combination secures a good, brilliant colour. There are, however, varieties of tone ranging from a pale lemon colour to a deep golden brown, which depends upon a smaller or greater amount of zinc. In early times this metal seems to have been sparingly employed, but from the Middle Ages onward the industry in brass was a very important one, carried out on a vast scale and applied in widely different directions. Source Wikipedia.
The Egyptian Knowledge of Metallurgy and Metalworking
The Egyptians learned how to work metals from an early period, and all agree that 5,000 years ago, the Ancient Egyptians had already developed the techniques of mining, refining, and metalworking.
Ancient Egypt did not have several kinds of mineral ores, such as silver, copper, tin, lead, etc., even though they produced large quantities of electrum (an alloy of gold and silver), copper, and bronze alloys. The Ancient Egyptians used their expertise to explore for mineral ores in Egypt and in other countries. Ancient Egypt had the means and knowledge to explore for needed mineral ores, establish mining processes, and transport heavy loads for long distances by land and sea.
Because it being was largest and richest population in the ancient world, Egypt imported huge quantities of raw materials; and in return exported large quantities of finished goods. The Ancient Egyptians’ finished metallic and non-metallic products are found in tombs throughout the Mediterranean Basin, European, Asiatic and African countries.
The Egyptians possessed considerable knowledge of chemistry and the use of metallic oxides, as manifested in their ability to produce glass and porcelain in a variety of natural colours. The Ancient Egyptians also produced beautiful colours from copper, which reflects their knowledge of the composition of various metals, and the knowledge of the effects produced on different substances by the Earth’s salts. This concurs with our “modern” definition of the subjects of chemistry and metallurgy.
egypt-tehuti.org/vibrant-ancient-egyptian-economy/egyptia...
TD : Agfapan 100 Professional 35mm film, developed in D-76 1+1 for 7 minutes. Exposure ISO 100 @35mm lens, natural daylight. Scanned with Alpha 6000 edited in ACR, inverted in CS6.
Le Nikkor Z 400 mm f/2,8 TC VR S est l’une des pièces maîtresses de la monture Z. La date de son lancement coïncide avec celle du Nikon Z9. Il vise à montrer tout le savoir-faire de la marque jaune et noire – comme l’attestent le fin liseré or à l’avant du fût et son appartenance à la série S.
°°°°°°°°°°°°°
The Nikkor Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S is one of the centerpieces of the Z mount. Its launch date coincides with that of the Nikon Z9. It aims to showcase the expertise of the yellow and black brand – as evidenced by the thin gold trim on the front of the barrel and its membership in the S series.
___________________________________________PdF_____
A female red-winged blackbird
It was hard to get a good focus on the red-winged blackbirds amongst the tall reeds. This female had a beakful of bugs. There is likely a nest nearby. More than once a red-winged blackbird flew at me while walking the trail, but not the two birds I took a photo of.
www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-winged_Blackbird/lifehistory
Red-winged Blackbirds eat mainly insects in the summer and seeds.
Both males and females defend nests from intruders and predators.
Taken in Warwickshire, I'm doing the Hairstreak challenge, and the Brown is the last one I need for a full house this year.
We saw around 10, but only females lower down, this was my first encounter, sorry that one is obstructed.
My thanks go to my good friend John, for arranging this visit and for his expertise and his friend Ivor, for his expertise too.
I had a great day thanks to the 2 of you, much appreciated
I can't thank my friend Jan Maguire enough for sharing her Milky Way expertise and for all of her efforts that led us to photographing this stunning scene on Monday morning. When I first found out I was coming to CA we started planning it. And it all worked out perfectly. It was so much fun and a dream come true. Thank you, again, Jan!
Looking down from the Gwaith Powdwr nature Reserve. Looking up the Afon Dwyryd.
From 1865 until 1995 this corner of West Wales was world-renowned for its explosives expertise. The remote location and natural, steep-sided valleys made it the perfect place for a specialist factory which, at its height, employed over 500 people. During the Second World War, over 17 million grenades were produced at this site! The Wildlife Trust took over the site when it was decommissioned – since then, it’s nature that has exploded …
We have a mole hill on my pride and joy lawn building mole hills….(Bottom left)…..So I decided to call in a bit of expertise help……And yes…..I guess you could say that I might have gone in over kill in the numbers…..But they assure me that they are best in mole evictions in the district……. Apparently all it takes is a few well placed Sheltie yaps in the right place…..And that’s it, job done…..And like any canny businessman (Or dog)….These are all asking for half payment up front…..Which is just fine by me, as long as they get this mole to move on before it does any more damage to my lawn….And I very much doubt the Shelties would mind if I sneak in a photo just for you dear reader whilst I have their full attention ….Click…..There, that should do it….
On EXPLORE (22-03-2017)
Other view // Autre vue: www.flickr.com/photos/regisa/24568444659/in/photolist-Dr2GDr
Soundscape // Paysage sonore: MOGWAI ("Deesh"): www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SU2zSZy1vA
"One more expertly captured and presented addition to Flickr's photo world !!! Truly a pro effort my friend !!!" // "Un nouvel ajout plein d'expertise au niveau captation et présentation au monde photographique de Flickr !!! Véritablement digne d'un pro." (Emil ATHANASIOU / www.flickr.com/photos/emil9497photography__art/ )
"Superbe !! Une jolie lumière et une texture façon "coup de pinceau" qui me plait bien :-))3 // "Great ! A lovely light and a pleasing brushstroke-like texture." (FLORENCE.V / www.flickr.com/photos/flo59/)
"Pretty scene and image. Nice light, color, detail and composition." // "Joli tableau plein de détails, de lumière et de couleurs." (Alfred LOCKWOOD / www.flickr.com/photos/alfredlockwood/)
own texture
I believe this type of seashell is called a Scotch Bonnet but would defer to the expertise of others who may want to comment.
I photographed this in a DIY lighbox against a black background and a glossy black floor tile as the reflective surface. (The tile was actually white so I spray painted it with black glossy enamel). I utilized 2 flashlghts to illuminate the shell and its reflection.
I have been to False Kiva 4 times in the past year with every intention of doing a shot similar to this at night. I ran into 2 problems:
1) I did not have a lens wide enough for this. This scene was shot as a single row pano with my UWA. I shoot crop and my widest lens at 10 mm is still not wide enough to cover this scene in a single shot which would make photographing the Milky Way more difficult.
2) I own a star tracker to get exceptional Milky Way shots and wanted no less for this shot. However, those trackers need to be aligned with Polaris which is hidden once inside this location. It is probably possible to align the tracker without this star visible but I lack the expertise to do this with any degree of accuracy.
I am generally against compositing images but due to the limitations above I had no other options that would yield similar results. Interestingly it took me months before I finally around to creating this, but alas, it is finally done!
Foreground: False Kiva, Canyonlands
Milky Way: Shot outside of Grand Junction, CO
Taylorfrantaphotography.com
facebook.com/taylorfrantaphotography
For my video; youtu.be/62pczjGa_dA,
North arm, of the, Fraser River,
Burnaby Fraser Foreshore Park, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.
Hodder Rasp,
Best seen on a large screen,
Agility, expertise,
People dismiss expertise and listen to know-nothing sweet talkers. He told me how difficult it was to reach his expert level. In just becoming a captain, he worked and apprenticed for over 720 days on a 100 ton ship. He then had to study and take a grueling test to get his captain's license. He knew the sea. He knew the ship. He knew the regulations. And man, did he know the shore and ocean contour around that lighthouse.
"That’s quite an accomplishment," I said. "But I suspect programmers and engineers are going to fully automate the piloting of ships with artificial intelligence. Soon."
"They'll still need captains," he said.
"I'm not even sure they'll need lighthouses," said I. "Think of all the land and expenses that would be saved if you could just put a cyber lighthouse on an electronic GPS map."
"What if you don't have an electronic map, or the GPS signal goes out?" queried the captain.
"Then the ship stops."
As one of the leading travel company in India, Go India Tours provides customized India tour packages to fulfill the guests’ every want. Therefore, what are you waiting for? Plan your India expertise by finishing our inquiry type, otherwise, you will get in touch by phone or email. Our client service team can go back to you for most of 12 hours. Allow us to set up your tour to India supported your preferences and that we can help you to discover India in a very most innovative approach. Simply select your most preferred dates and go aboard a journey that may provide you with the trip you look for me that respite, relaxation, journey or culture.
The witch and the monk
Real time light painting, single exposure, no edit except crop.
Nikon D750, Laowa 12/2,8 @f11, ISO 100m 426 seconds
Models: Marlene Weiss & Erik Vobman
Camera: Marla Singer
Light: Sven Gerard
Thanks to Burg und Kloster Oybin for letting us play there that night. Special thanks to Uwe (the last monk) for guidance, expertise and the snake stick. Thanks to Danilo Eberhard Strauß for perfect organisation of this unforgettable meetup. We'll be back!
Maryland Midland 102, a 65-ton Whitcomb, is switching the feed mill along this former PRR line with the depot looking good back there. This was Pennsy's line from Lancaster and York, Pennsylvania, to Frederick, Maryland. Again, my friend was the engineer on this beast while his wife provided the chase vehicle - and expertise on local roads - to get this action.
Crepuscular Glow & Skygazing in the Island of Chios ...
* "The 8323 Krimigis Asteroid" was late but I was patiently waiting ...
"And what he greatly thought,he nobody dared."
Homer,The Odyssey
*** Dedicated to Stamatios Krimigis who comes from Chios ***
* 8323 Krimigis is a main-belt asteroid discovered on October 17, 1979 and named after Dr Stamatios Krimigis.
*The Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum Trophy for 2015 was awarded to Stamatios M. Krimigis, who for 45 years has pioneered the exploration of our Solar System and beyond while at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland.His visionary work developing new and innovative ways for NASA to explore the solar system provided the Laboratory with the opportunity to contribute engineering and science expertise to humanity’s quest to understand our Universe.
Currently, he is involved in missions to Mercury, Saturn, Pluto, the heliosphere, and participating in path-breaking contributions to understanding the transition zone to interstellar space.
www.youtube.com/watch?t=5&v=lvqtPPy6bQg
N.B. ****There is a Total Eclipse of the Moon on the night of September 27-28, 2015. It happens to be the closest Supermoon of 2015.Enjoy it if you're an ardent sky-gazer.The event will not be repeated until 2033. ... ***
♥ Many Thanks Flickr friends for your comments & faves ♥
Seattle Cleaning Service Move-Out Professional - (206) 279-3420
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All of the expertise behind Beleza Revelada did not develop overnight. Professional photographer Gina Stocco was raised in Canada and spent part of her childhood in the U.S.A. She pursued her creative passion by studying Art at Connestoga University where she developed her photography talent and graduated ready for a career with her camera. In 2001, Ms. Stocco was invited to work as a chief photographer for a leading lingerie company, Fruit de la Passion. Ms. Stocco has also worked as a photojournalist associated with Fenaj, Arfoc, International Press, and I.F.J. She has worked at Futura Press, Folha de Sao Paulo, Comercio Jornal and lately works for …….
I cannot say this enough. Some folks just don't seem to be getting it. They gather in crowds to watch a hospital ship dock. They gather to worship. They gather to get drunk, party and get laid. Governments refuse to enact enforceable curfews, quarantines and closings out of greed self interest and fear. People laugh together in the laundromat and they ignore the danger in the big box stores. Stay at home. So many people, especially the young generation, whatever generation they are called today, purport to care about society. Here is the new reality we are in.
The overwhelming of hospitals in NYC will soon be the reality across our nation. Without nurses and doctors our hospitals will not only be overwhelmed, but health care, and hope itself will die with the workers sacrificing their lives inside. The ability to obtain ready food and basic goods for survival will die along with the truckers and grocery workers.
It needs to be said. If you leave home for any reason, cover your face and maintain social distancing. And if you leave for unnecessary purposes you are an ignorant ass, a scoundrel, and you should be held in the vilest contempt by your neighbor. You, YOU are putting everyone at risk when you make these stupid decisions. The ONLY way we have to fight this disease on a broad scale is by impeding it's ability to spread. And it's ability to spread is being found to be far more insidious than previously thought.
They call it the invisible enemy. They like to talk in metaphors because the reality is much to stark. We need to stop that. This virus is death. A personal death. A lonely death. And if you survive long enough, the death of everything around you. The death of our society and our civilization. It kills indiscriminately, and it does not care. It will not go away on it's own. Think mass graves and a total breakdown of the institutions that support civilization as we know it. This disease has the ability to become apocalyptic if we as a society make the wrong choices,.
And our way of staving that off and possibly arriving at a vaccine in a few months is so simple. Stay the fuck at home. If you must get out to get essential goods, maintain social distancing and hinder it's potential to spread. But think..... Every time, any time you leave your little isolated pod of safety you run the risk of introducing this pathogen into that pod. Through the food you eat, through the clothes you wear.
We are a large, complex and interconnected society. That fact has the potential to help us or kill us. It is not difficult to Skype and Zoom with your friends and watch television from your sofa. And the consequences are far to dire to ignore that.
Do you think you can survive alone?
When there is no more law enforcement there will be lawlessness.
When there are no more firefighters, you will burn.
When there are no more utility workers you will not have electricity or water or sanitary sewerage.
When there are no more funeral workers there will be mass graves and finally bodies left to rot in place.
And when there are no more health care workers, you will die.
Do you know how to effectively use a gun? Do you have ammunition? Can you stop a fire from consuming your home? Do you have the tools, skills and knowledge to maintain electric and water service on a large scale? Or even repair a pipe or patch a wire in your home? Just how independent are you? Have you ever grown a garden? Butchered and consumed a dog? Do you have the basic medical and scientific knowledge to repair your broken body and prevent it from becoming infected? Do you know how to run a ventilator? How to intubate the dying? Which drug to give for what symptom? And do you have the scientific knowledge and facilities to independently develop a vaccine?
No. You do not. No one person possesses all this knowledge and ability. When the people who do these things for you are dead, those talents and expertise die with them. Our society is far to interconnected for any of us to survive alone. But our interconnectivity is also our strength as we isolate and mitigate the spread of this pandemic that has the ability to destroy mankind. Our interconnectivity makes it easy to stay in touch, console our friends and ourselves, gain vital information, and fight this killer. True, factual and prompt information is key. Wars are not won on brute force. They are won by intelligence and tactics. And our society is at war. Make no mistake about it.
This virus does not care. It cannot be frightened. It is the perfect killer. And it will slowly kill us all if our society does not survive long enough to develop a vaccine. That is our reality.
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Louisiana
13,010 confirmed cases
477 deaths
Temp
97.3am
98.2pm
Heijplaat, Rotterdam industrial area, the Netherlands.
facebook | website | maasvlakte book 2014 | portfolio book
© 2015 Bart van Damme
Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij (RDM) began with maintenance and construction of ships in 1904. These days the area is in the process of being developed in phases into an attractive location for businesses and educational institutions with an emphasis on sustainability.
Despite his lack of practical farm expertise, William Johnston (1848-1885) was the "founder" of the Ontario Agricultural College and its Principal from 1876-1879. It was his vision that led to the creation of a three-year degree program, affiliated with the University of Toronto, which began in 1887 and continued until 1964. Johnston Hall, built in 1932 as a student residence and administrative offices, is now one of the University's most recognized buildings.
Johnston Hall's stone tower is the University of Guelph's best-known landmark, and its spacious front lawn one of the most loved spots on campus. Administrative offices fill the lower floor, while 315 students live on the top three floors in large double and triple rooms. Built in 1932, Johnston Hall's traditional architecture and its spacious tower lounge make it a favorite with many students.
Zutphen. Stationsplein. Gratis bewaakte fietsenstalling in twee lagen. Deze foto is beschikbaar gesteld door het kenniscentrum voor fietsbeleid: www.fietsberaad.nl. This photograph has been made available by the centre of expertise on bicycle policy: www.bicyclecouncil.org. [P7110061_fb]
Despite his lack of practical farm expertise, William Johnston (1848-1885) was the "founder" of the Ontario Agricultural College and its Principal from 1876-1879. It was his vision that led to the creation of a three-year degree program, affiliated with the University of Toronto, which began in 1887 and continued until 1964. Johnston Hall, built in 1932 as a student residence and administrative offices, is now one of the University's most recognized buildings.
Johnston Hall's stone tower is the University of Guelph's best-known landmark, and its spacious front lawn one of the most loved spots on campus. Administrative offices fill the lower floor, while 315 students live on the top three floors in large double and triple rooms. Built in 1932, Johnston Hall's traditional architecture and its spacious tower lounge make it a favorite with many students. 2
Horace wanted us to take him to explore a location he had googled so he could check out if it would be a suitable bungee jump venue.
You may ask where was Hoof, well following Lewis Hamiltons failure to clinch the formula one world championship last weekend due to a bit of a botched pit stop strategy, Toto Wolff (owner of Lewis’s team) called him up to fly out to Mexico so that Hoof could input his technical expertise and get this job sorted.
Hoof comes from a very distinguished background in motor sport think of the Ferrari Badge and what do you see, yes the prancing horse and the initials S F.
The horse is actually Hoof, and as Hoof is rather shy he did not want his name emblazoned on the side of the badge, he was happy with just S F meaning Shy, and the last letter of his name being the F. If you don’t believe me look on the badge of a Ferrari.
Back to Horace he was very impressed with this as a possible jump site, but was worried about dinosaurs muscling in on the act as this is part of the Jurrassic coast, can’t be to careful these days, call security. So it is back to Cornwall.
Thank you for looking, as always your comments and views are so appreciated.
Go Lewis, bring it home, Vroom vroom🐎🐷🏆😎😂😂
2021 Fort Lauderdale Air and Sea Show - May 8th, 2021
Fort Lauderdale Beach - Fort Lauderdale , Florida U.S.A.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkN2BPswyYc
*[left-double-click for a closer-look - Wild Blue Yonder!]
-------------------- GEICO Skytypers --------------------
The GEICO Skytypers are a flight squadron of six vintage SNJ-2 WWII era aircraft performing precision flight maneuvers at the 2021 Fort Lauderdale Air Show. The diverse flying expertise of the team members aligns perfectly with the unique components of their overall performance. The airshow team is a flight squadron of six WWII-vintage U.S. Navy SNJ trainers . The team performs a thrilling, low-altitude, precision-formation flying demonstration filling the sky and coming from all directions to provide spectators a unique viewing experience while showcasing the tactical maneuvers utilized in the Second World War. In addition to their air show performances, the GEICO Skytypers also “type” giant messages in the sky. Known as the world¹s largest text messages, skytyping is 17 times faster than skywriting and produces a letter every four seconds in a dot-matrix pattern. The messages are as tall as the Empire State Building, can extend up to 8 miles in length, and are visible up to 15 miles in any direction — or for nearly 400 square miles. In between air shows, these messages can often be seen at major events and venues in the Northeast near the team¹s home base at Republic Airport in Farmingdale, NY. - Amazing to see!
Watch them type the sky with their aerial ballet:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoUhSC1oVLg
*************************************************************************
air.show/fort-lauderdale-air-show/
www.local10.com/news/local/2021/05/05/fort-lauderdale-air...
Number: Protector -118
Name: Mako
Rank: Lieutenant
Expertise: Tactics, black ops, urban warfare
Weapons: custom T-21B heavy rifle
Equipment: advanced intercom, fireproof cape
So this is war. Finally, we are able to show, what we are made for. The first victory on Geonosis, despite all our losses, did prove what I knew all along: This army is ready. I am ready! I am now in charge of a small squad and we’re about to ship out to the outer rim soon. These men are at the top of their game and together we’ll bring the fight to the separatists! Oya manda!
Number: CT-3031/1199
Name: Linx
Rank: Private
Expertise: Scouting, hacking
Weapons: standard DC-15, tactical headlamp
Linx is one of the regular troopers that fought along us Raysh’olan on Geonosis and surprisingly, he kept up with us very well. He’s an outstanding scout, spotting targets long before the scanners do and his hacking skill is a reliable bypass to most security doors. I’m glad to have him on my squad now.
Number: CT-8787/0055
Name: Bruiser
Rank: Private
Expertise: explosives
Weapons: standard DC-15, tactical headlamp
Bruiser was assigned to Talon squad immediately after Geonosis. Apparently command thinks, we need more firepower, so he was the natural choice. True to his name, he’s an expert at inflicting damage to any target, be it through the use of explosives or else. He’s said to have torn apart a dozen droids with his bare hands. I’m eager to see this spectacle for myself!
_______________________
Here’s the newly formed Talon Squad for the re-launch of the 253rd Elite Legion.
WASHINGTON—Twenty one federal employees who had been working with Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency resigned, writing in a letter that they wouldn’t offer their expertise to overhaul the government if it meant undermining essential services.
“We will not use our skills as technologists to compromise core government systems, jeopardize Americans’ sensitive data, or dismantle critical public services,” the former employees wrote on Tuesday in a letter addressed to White House chief of staff Susie Wiles. “We will not lend our expertise to carry out or legitimize DOGE’s actions.”
The employees had worked at the U.S. Digital Service, which the Trump administration renamed the U.S. DOGE Service. Musk, the Tesla chief executive who is guiding DOGE, has sought to overhaul the federal government with cuts to the workforce, the elimination of diversity, equity and inclusion programs and the closure of agencies such as the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
The letter was earlier reported by the Associated Press. It followed Musk’s push to require federal workers to submit weekly progress reports—in five bullet points. The White House said Tuesday that one million workers responded to the email, or more than 40% of the federal workforce of roughly 2.3 million.
The ex-employees, who didn’t list their names, criticized the DOGE process, saying a day after President Trump’s inauguration they completed interviews with “individuals wearing White House visitor badges” who declined to identify themselves.
“This process created significant security risks,” they wrote. They said that the firing of one-third of the USDS colleagues on Feb. 14 endangered millions of Americans who rely on their services to modernize Social Security, veterans’ services and tax filing.
“DOGE’s actions—firing technical experts, mishandling sensitive data, and breaking critical systems—contradict their stated mission of ‘modernizing Federal technology and software to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity,’” they wrote.
Many of the employees who resigned had previously worked for tech companies, said one of the employees who resigned. The employees had served in roles such as engineers, data scientists, project managers and designers. Their work had spanned the first Trump administration, the Biden administration and the current White House, the employee said.
Write to Ken Thomas at ken.thomas@wsj.com
The Netherlands - Heemskerk
Cuckoo bumblebees parasitise the nests of 'true' bumblebees, resulting in the loss of the ability to collect pollen and establish their own nests. I possess insufficient expertise to determine wether these are Gypsy's cuckoo bumblebee (Bombus bohemicus-Tweekleurige koekoekshommel) or Vestal cuckoo bumblebee (Bombus vestalis-Grote koekoekshommel). The first one is quite rare, the second one more common in The Netherlands. Photographed on Cotton thistle (Onopordum acanthium-Wegdistel). © Tom Kisjes
DC Rebirth is such a fantastic celebration of both nostalgia and novelty - it builds off of the freshness of the New 52 continuity while infusing it with a certain reverence of the Post Crisis universe.
Here is the Rebirth League in all of its glory, with Shazam as a plus-one since he's my favorite DC superhero.
On another note, I've started to retake some of my old photographs to update them to my current style and level of technical expertise. Check out my Black Lightning photo a while back to see one of the preliminary retakes!
"You crown the year with your bounty; your wagon tracks overflow with abundance." - Psalm 65:11
Number: CT-4554/1606
Name: Sakana
Rank: Sergeant
Expertise: Tactics, melee weapons
Weapons: DC-17m, beskade (mandalorian sword)
Equipment: Katarn armor, macrobinoculars, EMP grenades, kama, pauldron, riot control energy shield
The campaign on Vandos Prime did prove to be more of a challenge than I expected before. Those 253rd boys are really giving it their all. I am not sure I have integrated well yet, but I am still alive, which means I can’t have done too bad. Yet, there’s always something to improve. As a first step, I requested some extra gear. EMP grenades have proven to be useful against the droids on Vandos, so I’ll be carrying more of them now. The new mission briefing states that we’ll be deployed for crowd control on Corellia, so I ordered an energy shield, too. You can never know what these protestors are up to and I’d rather not have them scratch my armor. We’ve been instructed to use none-lethal weapons primarily, but I’m not giving up my DC, no matter what. If push comes to shove, I can use it as a baton or use my sword to keep these protestors at arms length.
........................................................................................................................
Number: CT-7007/2828
Name: Koi
Rank: Private
Expertise: Explosives, lock picking, stand up comedy
Weapons: DC-15, energy pike
Koi has proven to be a capable fighter and loyal comrade on Vandos Prime. He does not question direct orders, but still has enough of a brain not to get himself killed right away. I said whoever survived this hell out there was worth fighting by my side and I am keeping this promise. That’s why I requested for Koi to be transferred to Mizu Squad, the newly formed unit under my command. And with his new armor, he has some signature blue stripes to show for it. For this mission he has traded his trusty DC for an energy pike. Wouldn’t be my weapon of choice, but he demonstrated some impressive skill in our short training session. I’m sure he’ll do well.
_________________________
My squad for mission 17 of the 253rd Elite Legion. I gotta get some more of these half blue arms for additional troopers now…
Number: CT-4554/1606
Name: Sakana
Rank: Lieutenant
Expertise: Tactics, melee weapons
Weapons: DC-17m, beskade (mandalorian sword)
Equipment: Katarn armor, macrobinoculars, EMP grenades, kama, half cape
It was a miracle that we did survive the fight with Durge on Corellia. I can’t even remember much, despite running very, very fast and trowing as many EMPs as possible, to confuse this monster. We made it, but this battle has shown that we are in need of much, much more man- and firepower. Other than that, Corellia was a battlefield just to my taste. Cities, factories, urban warfare. That’s what an ARC is made for. Apparently, we managed to bring that across to our superiors, as I was promoted and all my requests for gear and a new recruit were granted. I’ll do my best to fill my new role as Lieutenant properly and be a good example for the men that now form Mizu Squad. And I’ll keep them alive, no matter the threat of monsters like Durge.
Number: CT-7007/2828
Name: Koi
Rank: Private
Expertise: Scouting, explosives, lock picking, stand up comedy
Weapons: DC-15, E-60R rocket launcher
Koi’s sharp eye and quick thinking have proven to be a life saving asset on Corellia for both, me and the civilians around. He’s a capable scout as well as demolitions expert with more intellect behind both those skills than I first imagined. By now, I put a lot of trust in him. After our mission on Corellia, his request for a personal rocket launcher, which he handed in when we came back from Vandos, was finally granted. We could have used it against Durge, for sure. Koi cares for it like it is his baby and I am sure we can expect the next mission to be much more explosive than the previous ones.
Number: CT-9004/7755
Name: Mag’ro
Rank: Private
Expertise:
Weapons: T-21B Target Rifle, tactical headlamp
Mag’ro is our newest addition to the squad, after we rescued him from the minefield inside the foundry complex. He is a silent fellow, but careful in his movements and a surprisingly fast runner, considering he escaped a crab droid on foot. And, by the Force, running has proven to be essential on Corellia. Mag’ro had no chance to prove his abilities to me, yet, but I give him the benefit of the doubt. If only half of what I heard is true, he’ll serve the squad well. His weapon of choice tells a lot about his mindset: Focused on the target and ready to throw a big punch. I like it.
_______________________
Here's my updated squad for mission 18 of the 253rd Elite Legion.
This peaceful scene was violently disturbed by a photographer applying his extensive expertise in German swearwords – part of this fishing technique appears to be continuous slow movement, spoiling most of my exposures. In the end, we both have been happy – the guy is kind of sharp in this image and he brought home a big wet fish.
Brockholes is a new kind of nature reserve, an unreserved reserve owned and managed by The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside.
There's lots to see and do at Brockholes, you can hunt out our floating Visitor Village with a restaurant, shops and Welcome Centre or explore our family-friendly hides, walking trails and play area.
At Brockholes you can explore our beautiful reserve, see the wildlife that call it ‘home’ or hunt out our Visitor Village with restaurant and shops, all of which float (yes really!) on one of our lakes.
Our floating Visitor Village features a gift shop and a restaurant providing stunning views across the lake. You can also discover our interactive Welcome Centre and learn all about the wildlife that you could see on-site. Be sure to call in to pick up a welcome leaflet that will help you plan your day. You can view the reserve map in our Welcome Leaflet here to help you plan your first visit.
2013/14 Opening Times:
4th November 2013 to 31 March 2014 10am-4pm
1st April 2014 to 31st October 2014 10am-5pm
Closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day only
Car Park Charges
We don't charge for entry and any profits made here go back into looking after the reserve. So every time you pay for parking, treat yourself in the shop or enjoy some lunch, you are helping look after the reserve and the wildlife that visits us!
Sorry no dogs allowed!
There is a good reason! Dogs can disturb wildlife, especially nesting birds. If your dog was to get too close to a nesting bird it would cause the mother to leave the nest. So to avoid any accidents we ask that you don’t bring your dog. (Assistance dogs are welcome.)
Explore the reserve
Brockholes is one of the best sites in the UK for many species of bird and has one of the largest strips of ancient woodland in the county. You can take a stroll by the River Ribble, explore our woods or enjoy the lakes on site, which have all been specially designed to attract all kinds of wildlife for you to see!
Walks around Brockholes
What can I see at Brockholes?
Read about the happy habitats we've been working hard to create at Brockholes.
Watch out!
The Visitor Village floats on water and there are lots of areas of open water on the reserve. Take care in these areas and keep an eye on any children with you. The following activities are not allowed on the reserve:
Barbecues and fires
Fishing
Swimming
Please do not feed the birds
Big gulls know it’s much easier to find food when we leave it lying around rather than finding their own lunch. Here at Brockholes we have lots of species breeding with us, little ringed and ringed plover, lapwing, oystercatcher and redshank. Unfortunately the big gulls will eat the chicks of these special birds so if we feed the gulls and encourage them to stay there is a big chance that they will eat our important chicks, so please do not feed the birds and take your leftover picnic away with you.
www.brockholes.org/our-journey
The Lancashire Wildlife Trust has been working on developing Brockholes for nearly 20 years, here is an overview of our journey.
1992 Lancashire Wildlife Trust first contests the quarrying of Brockholes.
27 November 2006 The Lancashire Wildlife Trust has four weeks to raise £50,000 to buy the Brockholes site, near Preston, and protect it from development. Brockholes sits next to J31 of the M6 and is the size of 120 football pitches.
15 January 2007 The Lancashire Wildlife Trust makes the biggest land purchase in its history - thanks to donations from Wildlife Trust members, and an investment of £800,000 from the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) under the Newlands scheme. The project to buy and develop Brockholes is also supported by The Tubney Charitable Trust.
3 May 2007 Ian Selby is appointed as Brockholes project manager. Ian has 20 years' experience of managing the North West's canal network for British Waterways, followed by environmental regeneration work. Sophie Leadsom, Brockholes' new reserve manager, has worked in conservation for 14 years.
July 2007 The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) announced the launch of a new open competition to design new visitor facilities.
5 October 2007 The Lancashire Wildlife Trust announced the shortlist for the new multi-million pound visitor centre. 61 architects from all over Europe submitted designs. The five were Adam Khan Architects, Arca, Architecture 2B, AY Architects, McDowell + Benedetti.
25 February 2008 The Lancashire Wildlife Trust (LWT) and partners announce the winner of its competition to design a visitor facility. Adam Khan Architects was selected for its inspirational design concept: "A Floating World". Designed as a cluster of buildings constructed largely of wood and other sustainable materials, it resembles an ancient marshland village.
April 2008 The Lancashire Wildlife Trust announced the completion of its first phase of preparatory work, including the restoration of the wetlands, creation of ponds, seeding of meadows, planting new hedgerows and trees, making access paths and building proper bird watching hides.
March 2009 The Lancashire Wildlife Trust secured £8million of funding from the North West Regional Development Agency (NWDA). The investment was made under ‘Newlands’, a NWDA and Forestry Commission programme that is regenerating brownfield land across the Northwest into economically viable community woodland.
Summer 2009 Volunteers gave us 134 hours of their time to help propagate our own reed seedlings on-site. We ended up with 20,000 new redd seedlings ready to plant out around our new visitor centre, creating two hecatres of brand new reedbed.
August 2009 The Lancashire Wildlife Trust were granted detailed planning permission for the site.
December 2009 Contractors first day of work as they begin to construct the iconic floating visitors centre. Press conference being held with a ‘cutting of the first sod’
November 2010 A herd of longhorn cattle move into Brockholes to graze the reserve.
December 2010 BBC Countryfile fronted by Julia Bradbury visit Brockholes to film a feature that airs in January 2011.
March 2011 Brockholes makes history as the Visitor Village is floated for the first time.
Easter Sunday 2011 Brockholes opens its doors to the public for the first time!
www.brockholes.org/happy-habitats-brockholes
Happy habitats at Brockholes
The Lancashire Wildlife Trust are using their expertise to create habitats that will encourage lots of different species to visit the site, read more about the work we are doing on the reserve...
Number 1 Pit
Uniform and steep, the edges around the original gravel pit used to look very different. The island looked different too – an egg-shaped piece of land sticking out of the water by three metres. These land profiles weren’t great for the bird species and aquatic invertebrates we wanted to attract. So, with bulldozer and digger we pushed earth into the lake to create shallow, underwater ledges and peninsulas where birds can roost and feed, safe from predators. Diving ducks, such as Great Crested Grebe, now hunt for fish in the deep water.
Nook Pool
The edge of this pool has been planted with reed to create places for small fish and aquatic invertebrates like dragonfly larvae to hide and grow, away from predator fish. The shelter provided by the vegetation provides an ideal hunting ground for lots of species of dragonfly including the impressive Brown Hawker and Emperor Dragonfly.
Meadow Lake
This shallow lake is great for bird watching: when the water level is down, wading birds feed on small invertebrates in the exposed mud. This lake has some of the richest water plant life in and around it, including White Water Lily and Cuckooflower. The reed fringes are becoming well established and hold some of the largest populations of birds on site. The islands provide safe roosting and breeding areas, we keep the vegetation short so the birds can watch out for predators.
Boilton Marsh
This area is part of our newly created wet grassland habitat. We remodelled 17,000 cubic metres of quarry spoil to create 10 hectares of wet grassland with nearly 2km of channels and five pools. This is the ideal habitat for breeding wading birds such as Lapwing, Redshank and Snipe. We now graze traditional breeds of cattle and sheep that thrive on the coarse grasses and rushes and provide the low grassland sward that encourages wading birds to nest.
The channels and pools are kept topped up by using a high-level reservoir, filled from Number One Pit by way of a solar pump.
Woodland
Brockholes is fringed by the ancient woodland of Boilton, Red Scar and Tunbrook Woods. Woodland has grown here for thousands of years and developed a very rich variety of wildlife. Looking after our trees and paths will help the woodland to thrive and enable you to see the wildlife safely.
Reedbeds
Reedbeds are home to Sedge Warblers, Reed Warblers, Reed Buntings and Water Rail. We protect the new reed from grazing birds like Coot, Mute Swan and Canada Goose, by erecting chicken wire fences and baling string barriers. It will take several years before our lak fringes start to look like reedbeds. You might notice that the Visitor Village has been nestled in reedbed. This helps it to blend into the reserve and allows you to hear the song and chatter of the birds that nest there.
www.brockholes.org/brockholes-partners-and-funders
Brockholes partners and funders
For the past ten years, The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside have been working to secure this site of national environmental importance, and restore habitats to their full potential.
The £8.6 million of regeneration funding was provided for the Brockholes Wetland and Woodland Reserve project has been granted under 'Newlands' - a £59 million, Northwest Regional Development Agency and Forestry Commission programme to transform brownfield land into durable community woodland, which act as catalysts for economic, social and environmental gain.
The Lancashire Environmental Fund awarded £446,000 for the development of the education facilities, hides and infrastructure on the site. Tubney Charitable Trust granted £350,000 for Biodiversity and Natural England DEFRA's Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund awarded circa. £300,000. The Environment Agency granted £50,000 for the continued development of Brockholes.
The support of these funders helped make Brockholes a reality, as did the amazing support from our public appeal, which raised an amazing £63,000 - the most successful public appeal the Lancashire Wildlife Trust has ever run!
Volunteering at Brockholes
Around 200 volunteers have now been recruited, inducted and trained to begin volunteering at Brockholes, so we offer an enormous thank you to all who are helping it make such a big impact on our visitors... Volunteers truly are the face of Brockholes.
There are currently some exciting opportunities to be had volunteering here at Brockholes. Please have a look below at roles (you can click on the titles to download a full role description) which might suit you and click here to register, mentioning Brockholes and the role on the form.
Seasonal Activities Volunteer
Our seasonal activities program is the ideal opportunity for young people aged 16-23 to get involved here at Brockholes.
Running throughout all school holiday periods, you are expected to volunteer for 7 hours per week (normally one full day).
The Seasonal Activities Volunteer role is ideal for friendly, outgoing people who want to utilise their creative skills and help visitors – in particular children – enjoy the reserve. You will work alongside other volunteers to plan and deliver a variety of activities including pond dipping, guided walks, bird watching. The role will also include assisting with larger events such as our Extreme Adventure Weekend and Craft Fayres. Support will be given to you by the Events & Communications Manager.
This placement is perfect for those undertaking various award schemes, such as the Duke of Edinburgh award, as over the course of the summer you have the opportunity to gain upto 50 volunteering hours.
For full details on the role and what it entails, click here.
Seasonal Retail & Visitor Services
Our seasonal activities program is the ideal opportunity for young people aged 16-23 to get involved here at Brockholes.
As a volunteer for Retail & Visitor Services you will provide a warm welcome for visitors, helping to ensure that their Brockholes experience is a positive one. You will help visitors by providing them with information about products on sale in our gift stores and help them plan their visit by telling them about the various events and activities we have on offer.
The role suits a friendly, outgoing person who has an interest in wildlife and conservation.
Running throughout the school holiday periods, you are expected to volunteer for 7 hours per week (normally one full day).
This placement is perfect for those undertaking various award schemes, such as the Duke of Edinburgh award, as over the course of the summer you have the opportunity to gain upto 50 volunteering hours.
Each volunteer will be required to undergo a minimum of 1 and a half days training before they start. If you’d like to find out more or ask questions about any of these roles do not hesitate to get in touch with Catherine Haddon, Volunteering Support Officer on 01772 324 129 or email volunteer@lancswt.org.uk
Awards
Brockholes has scooped many high profile awards since opening in April 2011:
2013 Lancashire Tourism Award for Best Conference/Meeting venue
VisitEngland's Visitor Attraction Quality Assurance Scheme (VAQAS) 'Excellent'
Green Tourism Gold Award
Customer at the Heart Award
Lancashire and Blackpool Tourism Awards 'Marketing Campaign of the Year'
National Wood Award
BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ for the interim design stage
Chartered Institute of Building Services – Building of the Year 2011
Civic Trust Award
Civic Trust Special Award for Sustainability
Highly Commended in portfolio of Newlands sites in Landscape Awards
CIWEM Living Wetlands award
Greenbuilds award
Green Apple Awards for the Visitor Centre
Sustainable Project of the year – 2012 Building Awards
RICS North West – Overall award
RICS North West – Tourism and Leisure
RICS NW – Design & Innovation
RIBA North West Building of the Year
RIBA North West Sustainability Award
RIBA Award for top 50 new buildings in the UK
Brockholes is an award winning-venue, which floats on one of our lakes - the only one of its kind in the UK.
Combine this unique design with access straight off the M6, a beautiful nature reserve, ample parking and on site catering, and you have found yourself the perfect venue for your next event. View our Conference Brochure here.
We think Brockholes is the natural place to do business, our dedicated centre can cater for 50 to 130 delegates.
We have a choice of two conference rooms and a reception/break-out area.
www.brockholes.org/conference-packages
At Brockholes we want you to be in control of your event as much as possible. This is why we have created these basic packages, enabling you to tweak each element to build an individual event.
Alternatively, we can cater to your specific requests if you require half day, early morning or evening hire.
Here is an overview of our conference packages, please contact us for a quote.
Our Conference brochure can be viewed in digi-book format here.
Day Delegate Package
Private room hire from 9am - 5pm
Tea and coffee served on arrival with bacon rolls
Mineral water for each guest
Tea and coffee served mid-morning
Buffet lunch served with tea, coffee and fresh fruit platter
Tea, coffee and biscuits served mid-afternoon
Use of a flip chart, screen and projector
Recycled pen and notepad for each delegate
Dedicated co-ordinator to assist you throughout the planning to delivery of your meeting
24 Hour Delegate Package
All of the above plus;
Three course dinner
Full breakfast
Accommodation in a standard bedroom at our recommended accommodation supplier
Accommodation
Preferential rates are available on request from a local hotel when booking through the Brockholes Sales Team.
We can tailor our packages to suit your needs. Make the UK's first floating venue your next choice
Please contact us for more information or to arrange a meeting or showround with our Conference Sales Co-ordinator
Call us on 01772 872005 or enter your details below and we will contact you to discuss your requirements.
www.brockholes.org/sponsorship-opportunities
Sponsorship Opportunities
Brockholes is an award winning nature reserve owned and manages by the Lancashire Wildlife Trust, which was opened in 2011. The 250 acre reserve is already attracting record numbers of breeding birds and around 170,000 visitors each year. Brockholes runs a wide range of events throughout the year and has a particularly strong offer for families. Events include wild families, school holiday clubs, school and community group visits, self led trails and larger festivals during the summer holidays.
The key marketing campaigns run targeting families include Christmas, Summer and Easter. Each campaign targets a series of family focused publications across the North West, with a monthly average reach online of over 40,000 people through the website and social media. Advertising and direct marketing campaigns have an average reach of 70% of the total North West population.
Sponsorship and Partnership Opportunities
Summer at Brockholes sees a host of family events each year, from school holiday clubs to open air theatre, guided walks to family fun. Over the Summer period, Brockholes expects to welcome over 60,000 visitors. The marketing campaign is multi channel and will reach a wide audience of families across the North West. Brockholes has also been featured in the National Press for some of the unique events run. We have some new opportunities for sponsorship and partnership, which will allow your business to raise brand awareness and fulfill part of your Corporate Social Responsibility by supporting Brockholes and The Lancashire Wildlife Trust.
Summer at Brockholes Headline Sponsorship £4500
Expose your brand to thousands of families across the North West.
- Logo on all Summer promotional material
- Inclusion in all four of the Summer e-news and Lancashire Wildlife Trust e-news
- Sponsor Feature on Brockholes.org
- On site promotion
- Promotion through social media channels
- Inclusion in all PR activity
- Temporary use of Brockholes logo on promotional material directly related to the partnership
Wild Families Sponsorship £4000 per year
Our Wild Families events are always fully booked. With themes ranging from scarecrow hunts to nature detectives, each event provides quality family time for family members of all ages. Events are run throughout school holidays.
-Logo on marketing materials for Wild Families
-Inclusion in PR for trail launch
-Inclusion in social media activity
-Inclusion in Brockholes e-news
Seasonal Trail Sponsorship £500 per trail
Each visitor to Brockholes can collect their free seasonal trail on arrival. The trail helps visitors to explore the reserve, learn more about what to see and how the reserve changes with the season and challenges them to spot things.
-Logo on sponsorship trail
-Inclusion in PR for trail launch
-Inclusion in social media activity around the trail
Half term at Brockholes £1500
-Logo on all marketing materials
-Inclusion in launch PR
-Social media promotion
Annual Headline Sponsorship £10,000
- Logo inclusion on all Promotional Material
- Dedicated web page on Brockholes.org
- On site promotion
- Dedicated stand area on key event days
- Promotion through Brockholes and LWT e-news, member magazine
- Promotion through social media channels
- Inclusion in all PR activity
-Discounted delegate rate on our conference facilities
Children's Corner £500
Would you like to help brighten up the children's corner in our restuarant for our younger visitors?
-Inclusion in PR activity
-Recognition in the children's area
-Inclusion in activity to our database promoting the new area
To talk to us more about sponsorship opportunities, contact Ruth Gaskell rgaskell@lancswt.org.uk or call 01772 324129.
www.brockholes.org/commercial-opportunities
Commercial Opportunities
Make Brockholes your business
Businesses are being offered an opportunity to become partners in a North West tourism and wildlife success story.
Brockholes nature reserve is entering the second phase of development which will provide commercial opportunities for other businesses and boost local employment.
The Lancashire Wildlife Trust attraction attracted 185,000 people to its nature reserve and the first ever floating visitor village in the UK, last year. It is looking to top that visitor figure this year.
Just off the M6 at Preston and easily accessible from anywhere in the UK, Brockholes has received more than 30 regional and national awards despite only opening in 2011. Visitors continue to pour in despite the reserve being surrounded by the attractions of Manchester, Blackpool and Liverpool.
The business has shown year-on-year growth and, as a result, is seeking commercial partners for the next phase of development.
Anne Selby, Chief Executive of the Wildlife Trust said “Brockholes has performed incredibly well despite being launched in a recession. We have steered the business through the stormy weather and achieved fantastic results.
“We are now looking to move into the next phase of development. As a conservation charity, we want to ensure our focus remains on the nature conservation of the reserve, whilst ensuring the commercial income supports this work. We are looking for expressions of interest at this stage and asking businesses to be creative with their proposals.”
The Visitor Village has a restaurant, shops, conference centre, welcome centre and education centre. Major companies have made use of the conference centre including RBS and Aldi. The surrounding nature reserve is continuing to grow, with an increasing population of resident creatures and rare visitors like red kite, bittern and otter.
Anne continued: “Brockholes received funding for the initial start up and development phases but it was always designed to be a self-sustaining model. By making the most of the commercial opportunities and keeping these balanced carefully with the needs of nature, we believe we can continue to success of Brockholes into the future and achieve even more fantastic results for wildlife, our wide range of visitors and the tourism economy”.
Opportunities include retail, water sports (non-motorised), indoor play provision, events partners and mobile food concessions. However, the Trust is open to hear if any investors would wish to develop sympathetic commercial facilities on the site.
An opportunity information pack is available by request from:
Karen Williams Karen.Williams@brockholes.org
Expressions of interest should initially be made to
Lindsey Poole, Commercial Development Manager lpoole@lancswt.org.uk
Group Visits
Whether it’s a full day out or just a quick stop off on the way to your destination, Brockholes is the ideal place for groups to visit.
There's so much for all ages to see and learn about at Brockholes. Everyone from toddlers to seniors will find something to fascinate them, whether through our exciting range of organised events, or by just wandering around the site.
We are passionately committed to lifelong learning for all – our belief is that everyone should leave knowing something they didn't when they arrived! The Lancashire Wildlife Trust has over a decade of experience in delivering environmental education, so you can relax, enjoy the surroundings and be sure to come away both enchanted and enlightened...
We have several options for various groups, each with a variety of benefits. For more information click on the relevant link below…
Coach Groups
School Groups
Community Groups
To enquire about group visits please call 01772 872000 or email info@brockholes.org. Or leave your details on the form below and a member of our team will get back to you as soon as possible.
Coach Groups
Situated next to Junction 31 on the M6, we are the ideal stop for coach trips, whether it is for a short stop, as a green motorway services, or as part of a full day visit.
Free entry for coaches and convenient coach drop-off point
We have a variety of walking trails for your group to explore, ranging from half an hour to 2 hours in length.
We have our floating visitor village that features a stunning waterside restaurant, 2 unique gift shops and a welcome centre with exhibits, which are ideal should your guests decide for something less active (or if the weather lets you down)!
All our buildings are fully accessible, while the vast majority of our paths are well surfaced, level and suitable for wheelchairs.
We now have a more convenient drop-off point exclusively for coaches and in addition have a number of benefits for coach groups:
• Free entry to the reserve and visitor centre
• Free coach parking
• Refreshment voucher for the coach driver
• Free familiarisation visit for group organisers
• Free meet and greet at the coach (on request)
• Free Brockholes welcome leaflet and trail guide
• Free events and activities throughout the year (visit our events calendar for details)
• Free play area
• Pre-booked guided tours (available at an extra charge)
• Adapted toilets available at the visitor centre
Please note that there is a 4 metre high bridge on the entrance to Brockholes. We also advise all coaches to let us know of their visit in advance by calling us on 01772 872000.
For any further information please just call 01772 872000, email info@brockholes.org
School Groups
Our 250 acre nature reserve and Visitor Village is a great place for school groups to visit. Children can learn about the geological history and how the quarrying has shaped the land today. And because we are a new nature reserve, you can watch it grow! It is also home to the UK's first floating Visitor Village.
Most importantly of all, the children will be able to see that Brockholes is home to a host of wildlife, with many different species of bird popping by throughout the year, along with brown hare, dragonfly and deer to name a few!
Facilities
Your school will have use of the education centre on our floating visitor village and you will have at least one Education Officer dedicated to your group throughout the day.
Plus... NEW FOR 2014!
Next year your school will be able to get even closer to nature at Brockholes by booking an education session in our new purpose-built bird hide classroom, right on the edge of the lake!
The hide will overlook No 1 Pit Lake which is home to many different species of birds and you'll also be able to look across to the new sand martin wall, which will provide valuable breeding habitat when they arrive in spring.
Why not your details below if you'd like us to keep to informed of these exciting new developments!
Programmes
We offer a wide range of programmes including:
Big Adventure in a Miniature World
Life Cycles
Migration and Hibernation
Environmental Art
Geography and Geology
Forest School
You can read more about the education programmes available at Brockholes here.
Education Team
Our Education Team are based at Brockholes and have a huge amount of experience in inspiring young people about the natural world. They are a lively bunch and pride themselves on creating an exciting and memorable experience for your school. You can read about how great our team is here: Meet the Education Team.
Outreach
Can't get to us? Then we can come to you! Our outreach education programme is very popular and offers a wide range of programmes for those who are unable to reach Brockholes.You can view our Outreach Programmes here.
For any information just call us on 01772 872000 for more information, email eduadmin@lancswt.org.uk
Community Groups
Brockholes is a great place to bring your community group, whether it's the Scouts, Guides, Cubs, Brownies or Beavers or a rambling or photography group, there is something for everyone!
As well as exploring our stunning nature reserve you can enjoy an activity such as a guided walk, a mini-beast hunt or an environmental art session.
You can visit Brockholes during the day or we have special community group evenings when the reserve is open beyond our usual opening hours. Group activities usually take place between 5.30pm and 7.30pm.
Forest Schools
Forest Schools is a unique outdoor learning experience that improves children's self-esteem, confidence and abilities.
Brockholes provides an inspirational setting for Forest Schools sessions and training, and is conveniently located just off junction 31 of the M6 at Preston.
Our Forest School sessions are designed and delivered by our experienced and fully qualified Education Team including our Level 3 Trained Forest Schools Practioner.
Our next Forest Schools adult training session will be running in October. To find out more about Forest School sessions at Brockholes please call 01772 872017 or email kphillips@lancswt.org.uk
Shop til you flock
Why not drop into our two on-site shops, The Nest and Village Store, which are packed with all sorts of goodies. We've a variety of products from local beverages and food, to cards and books and crafts and jewellery. They are the perfect place to pick up a unique gift... and there's plenty of treats for the little ones too!
The Nest
The Nest is home to an inspiring collection of gifts, jewellery, books, toys, arts & crafts. Discover what's inside The Nest here.
The Village Store
The Village Store stocks a wide range of products, from locally sourced food and drink treats to bird food, garden accessories and wildlife books. Come and look inside here.
Membership of the Wildlife Trust
Brockholes is a Lancashire Wildlife Trust Nature Reserve. You can become a member today or talk to our friendly staff members and volunteers on your next visit to Brockholes. Gift membership is available in The Nest or you can buy it online here.
Our restaurant is the perfect place to stop and watch the world go by with panoramic views of our lake. Scrumptious homemade dishes and a taste bud tingling selection of Lancashire's finest local produce are all here to tempt you, along with fair trade tea and coffee.
Our restaurant is open from 10am to 5pm.
www.brockholes.org/very-special-occasions
Brockholes is a fantastic place for your very special occasions.
Our floating venue is one of the newest and most unique in Lancashire and promises you and your guests an unforgetable event whatever the occasion.
We have a dedicated function centre that can accomodate weddings, christenings and all sort of functions.
The clean, contemporary finish of our venue means that you have the perfect opportunity to put your own stamp on your event, with a flexible range of catering available from our on-site restaurant.
We have a dedicated Conference and Events Co-ordinator that will be available to help you plan your special occasion.
Very Special Weddings
We had our first wedding celebration September 2011 and since then it's been all go with Wedding Fayres and lots more bookings for this year and next. Find out more about weddings at Brockholes here.
Very Special Christenings
Brockholes is a real family friendly venue for a Christening celebration that you will remember for years to come. Find out more here.
For general enquiries about holding a function at Brockholes please call 01772 872005 or email philip.dunn@brockholes.org.
Dr. Jairam is a former Professor and Head of the department of surgery at St/ John's Medical College Hospital, Bangalore. He has served as Medical Director of Mallya Hospital - Bangalore, where he was a consultant surgeon for many years. His expertise in colo-rectal surgery is acquired from Mayo Clinic, USA and St. Mark's Hospital London. Presently he is the Chairman and Group Medical Director for Columbia Asia Hospitals - India. He is renowned surgeon and a very popular teacher.
He participated in the Book release " Hack the Job"
at Times Litfest 2018 in Bengaluru.