A colony of penguins arriving in London sounds a lot more threatening than what is actually an adorable trail of beautiful sculptures getting the city in the spirit over the festive season. While we may not be able to change the fact that their collective noun has a scary aura, we can point you towards the group of penguins scattered around the Fleet Street Quarter come this November, which are bound to fit the chilly settings and add to the Christmassy splendour across the city.
It’s both adding a splash of colour and helping support Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) and Wild In Art, meaning it has double ticks for reasons to check it out next month. And who wouldn’t want a picture with one of these? It’s a penguin in a Christmas jumper, for crying out loud!
The Fleet Street Quarter Penguins
Arriving on November 14a dozen of the cute and colourful sculptures will arrive in the Fleet Street Quarter, and bring with them facts about all things penguin. You can scan their QR code and unlock the tales of them and the Quarter as narrated by Olaf Falafel as you waddle between Chancery Lane, New Street Square, Fleet Street, and beyond to see the freezy art trail. Did you know penguins can swim at speeds up to 22mph (faster than most Olympic swimmers and more)? We might have just given away one of their marine bird facts, but there’s plenty more to discover across the trail.
When you scan the codes, you can also support the vital WWF conservation effortswith donations helping to ensure that penguins can remain in their habitats safely and survive for future generations. The adorable trail will remain in place for eight weeksand the sculptures – each made from recycled material – will have plaques detailing the inspiration of the artists who created them.
Speaking on the penguin trail, Louise Oakley, Director of Community Fundraising at WWF-UK, said, “We are excited to collaborate with the Fleet Street Quarter on this wonderful penguin sculpture trail. Unfortunately, climate change is a growing worry for Antarctic Penguins.
“This trail is a fantastic way to engage the public in conservation of this iconic species and highlights the urgent need to protect their habitat. We hope it inspires many to support our efforts to help these amazing species to thrive for generations to come.”
The free trail of 12 penguin sculptures lands at Fleet Street Quarter on November 14, 2024, and will remain in place for eight weeks.
