Latest News "Swan Notes" News items written by Trust members and volunteers and usually appearing in the “Berwick Advertiser" newspaper each  week. Unfortunately, sister newspaper the “Berwickshire News” are no longer following suit. For those unable to read these items, and  those living outside the Berwick area, here are the last few editions.. 9th April 2020 In a few short weeks, Covid19 has changed all our lives dramatically – businesses and schools closed, travel kept to a minimum, people  staying at home to try to stifle the spread of the virus.  The Trust is no exception; at the Rollo Centre, the animals in our care over winter have  either been released, are being prepared for release or – like permanent resident and  mascot Errol the Owl - will be ‘lodging’ in Pat’s aviaries at home. The five young swans  got their first taste of freedom on the Tweed a couple of weeks ago when Dick let them  go, and last week the first four hedgehogs went back into the wild. The Trust is now closed to the public, and because of the restrictions we are unable to  take in new rescues for the time being.   The volunteers continue to come in for their shifts while there are still animals to look  after. And there’s still plenty to do with nearly all the hogs in Hotchi Mews wide awake  and raring to go. The morning work of checking them, changing their newspaper lining,  washing food and water bowls and refilling with fresh food takes an age. Indoors, too,  the hogs that were too young or who hadn’t put on sufficient weight to hibernate  outside need to be cleaned, fed and watered. Then there’s the paperwork; from the  day they come into the Trust, each hog has a record logging their treatment, weight,  cleaning and feeding, charting their progress towards eventual release. Some of the  indoor hogs now have the sign ‘Small meals only’ attached to the outside of their  cages, which is a sure sign that they’ve worked extra hard at building themselves up  and need to diet before leaving us. As with every other aspect of life under lockdown, my volunteer’s routine has had to be adapted to safeguard my colleagues and myself.   We’re ‘social distancing’ and sanitising our hands, and I go straight home now instead of enjoying the 12 o’clock coffee break in the  office with the other Wednesday regulars. These are trying times for everyone, and sadly it looks as if the Trust will not be able to take in any injured or orphaned wild animals this  spring. Hopefully as the situation improves, this will change and together with our supporters we’ll be able to get back to supporting local  wildlife.  Elfrieda Waren 2nd April 2020 Early last week Dick released the Swans. It was a pity we could not gather the Trust’s Friends to come along as we had planned. The  birds were certainly ready to go. They had been chasing around in the pond for the last couple of weeks. Dick said they all flew up the  river although one that came in to us early this year from Holy Island, wanted to go up amongst the sheep and enjoy the grass. It was  good to see the video that Dick took but we all would rather have been there to see for ourselves. The photograph this weeks shows the swans in their bags being given a moment to look around them before they all get untied. We will get the video up on Facebook. I must thank all the volunteers that have come in to help with the hedgehogs as Jackie has  been off sick with a cold. As soon as this cold snap passes we shall be returning the hogs to  the people that brought them in. It does all depend on how much the movement restrictions  will allow this. We need to get them all out as soon as possible. The David Rollo Centre is  closed to the public but we still have to care for the animals we already have. We are  working in separate areas so that we keep well away from each other. We are worried in  case there are even more strict movement restrictions and volunteers are unable to come  in.  We are making plans in case we have to shut completely. Several of us are able to take  some of the animals home and tend them there. Fortunately we have aviaries so we can  take Errol and maybe a couple of hedgehogs if they can be kept outdoors. Please continue to bring in papers and dog food when you are passing we are still needing to feed everything  and it is much appreciated. We are leaving a plastic box outside the gate for any donations. I hope everyone will understand if we cannot arrange things for the Friends or that we may  not give updates very quickly to hedgehog sponsors. I am trying to cover things from home  where possible. I am afraid that the Spring Bank Holiday Open Day has been cancelled as  also the A.G.M. and Open Day at the end of July. Our next one is in September, but we are  prepared to have to cancel that too. At the moment we just seem to be dealing with obstacles as they arise. We are working from day to  day, working to a plan and hoping we get though it. Pat Goff 26th March 2020 This week I have several pieces of important news.  This week we heard of the death of Janet Small. Janet was very active helping get  the Trust up and running and was a very important member of the volunteer team. Our thoughts are with her family.  I am afraid I must mention Coronavirus. We have had to put in new measures to protect our volunteers, they ARE the Trust, we cannot  operate effectively without them. We would also like to thank all the  kind folk who are still bringing their newspapers and canned dog  food in. It is very much appreciated, but please just leave your  donations in the box by the office door and accept our grateful  thanks. We are trying to keep to the guidelines laid down to protect  everyone. The David Rollo Centre will be closed to visitors for the foreseeable  future. There will be a notice on the gate giving instructions if you  have wildlife in need of care. We shall still be taking in casualties  but need to limit human contact as much as possible to protect our  volunteers as well as the general public. This is a very difficult time  for everyone and many of our volunteers are over seventy. For the  same reasons I am afraid that we will not be able to host and  meetings etc. with ‘Wildlife Friends’ members. We hope to release  our overwintering Cygnets very shortly, but we will not be able to  invite anyone to come with us.  We shall also try to release as many hedgehogs as we can in case  we come to a ‘lock-down’ situation, as has happened in other  countries and people are not able to collect them. We need to get  them away as soon as we safely can. They are mostly awake now and eating well to replace weight lost during hibernation. I usually  update sponsors when their hogs are awake and ready for release but this may not happen this year as we are having to cope with less  volunteers just at present. Our Easter Raffle will still be drawn on Easter Monday but we are cancelling our Open Day in May. Our committee meeting will also be  cancelled for three months. Members (again most are over 70) can contact one another by phone or via the internet.  The Trust will still be operating but the ways we cope may have to change from time to time, as new restrictions come in. Thank you for  all your support and please do not be offended if we don’t invite you in for a look round or stand and have a chat. Elfie will get the job next week of giving you good news about releases etc. I always seem to get the doom and gloom. Please keep safe  everyone. Pat Goff