About The Trust Since 1992 the Berwick Swan and Wildlife Trust has treated and released countless swans and other sick and injured animals brought to us from as far afield as Newcastle, Edinburgh, the Lothians, and the west of Scotland. All wild creatures deserve our help, and  each one that is successfully treated and returned to the wild helps to maintain the rich variety of the natural world, and contributes  to our own enjoyment of it.  Why the Trust Was Formed  The initial impetus behind the creation of the Trust was to provide support for the local Berwick swan herd. It was recognised that,  being concentrated in one place, a single environmental catastrophe could prove very costly to a colony of this size.  It was an incident in the autumn of 1991 which led to the establishment of the Trust. A chemical spillage from a factory contaminated  many of the swans, and only the swift action of a small band of volunteers under the direction of local vet David Rollo averted a  disaster. Emergency facilities were set up and several hundred swans were captured, decontaminated and rehabilitated locally and at animal care centres before being returned to the river. In the event only a handful of swans were lost, but had it not been for the  dedication of this small team the story would have been very different.  The sheer scale of this rescue operation highlighted the need for some form of permanent support for the swan herd, and more  volunteers were recruited to help set up a Charitable Trust which would care not only for the swans but other wildlife both north and  south of the border. The following May the Trust was formed and local businessman William Leith kindly gave permission for a large  empty lobster shed on the quayside in Berwick to be used as a Rescue Centre. NWET Swan House  The Lobster Shed was soon in use, and over the next seven years over 700 swans were treated there. It was, however, only a  temporary solution, and in 1998 the council announced plans to demolish the building as part of a quayside development scheme. It  was imperative that suitable new premises were found quickly, and in March 1998 the Trust launched an appeal to raise funds to buy  a permanent treatment centre in Berwick. Donations flooded in, including a generous grant from Northumbrian Water Environmental  Trust (NWET), which finally allowed the Berwick Swan and Wildlife Trust to complete the purchase of premises on the outskirts of the  town. Named the “NWET Swan House”, it was officially opened in April 1999 by Berwick MP Alan Beith.  The David Rollo Centre  Following the death of our founder and vet David Rollo, it was decided to rename the  Swan House “The David Rollo Centre” on the occasion of the Trust’s 21st birthday in  June 2013. The opening ceremony was carried out by local wildlife photographer  Laurie Campbell.  Without an on site vet the Trust now only carries out minor treatment under the  direction of local vets at the local Galedin surgery. Care and rehabilitation are now the  major function of the Trust.   A Note about Euthanasia  Our aim is to treat and rehabilitate our wildlife patients and to return them back to the wild. However, not all our patients can be  treated successfully. They often arrive in a perilous state, otherwise they would have most likely resisted rescue. It may not be fair to  subject them to treatment that may not be in their best interests or cause unnecessary suffering. If a patient is assessed by a veterinarian as requiring euthanasia, then sadly we would agree to that course of action. We know that a vet’s decision is never taken lightly and the patient’s welfare is the priority.  Facilities at the Centre In order to provide accommodation for various wildlife and sometimes to keep different species  apart, a variety of enclosed spaces, ponds, aviaries etc. are needed indoors and out. Some of  these have been built with the help of sponsorships. Our office fronts the road and usefully can be accessed without entering the wildlife  rehabilitation area. The “Surgery and Examination Room” is the first port of call for new arrivals  and this is where wildlife can receive minor treatments under direction of vets. Following on  from that is the “Recovery Room”, which is heated to aid recovery, also used to house  hedgehogs too small for hibernation during the winter in so-called “tower” cages. Also indoors we have a large indoor aviary which was sponsored by the local Longridge Towers  school, our “Claw and Talon” room to house raptors in a safe, quiet environment which they  need and our isolation room that can house any wildlife that might have an undiagnosed  condition.    Our large outdoor pond with a grassy area is provided for water birds such as swans. When swans are in residence this area needs  daily cleaning and an occasional drain out and change of water. The cost of water and food for swans is a considerable drain on our  resources. A smaller pond area is suitable for ducks and gulls, but is sometimes used to separate birds that prove to be trouble makers.  An outdoor under cover aviary provides a staging post between indoor and fully outdoor housing. There are several outdoor aviaries  of different sizes, one of which was sponsored by Patti Lomax, widow of Eric the real life Railway Man of book and film. We also have  an extra long aviary where recovering birds have room to fly and can be observed to see if they are ready to be released. CCTV  cameras with infra red allow us to watch them without them being disturbed, even at night. All our cages and aviaries conform with RSPCA standards and each animal is logged in and can be traced from admittance right  through to release. Although visitors to the Centre are usually by appointment only, we have the occasional Open Days, when the facilities are open to  view and our volunteers can explain how it all fits together. This is usually accompanied by fundraising stalls and is a useful source of  income, so please try to attend the Open Days if you live locally.