Battersea welcomed it's Royal Patron, Her Majesty The Queen, to their London centre for the official opening of a special new dog garden.
To mark her first visit to Battersea’s London centre since 2016, Her Majesty was greeted by a very special guard of honour featuring Battersea dogs Bertie, Phoenix, Bella and Dipsy, as well as the charity’s staff, volunteers and supporters.
Exploring Battersea’s New Dog Garden with Her Majesty
During her visit, The Queen received a special tour of the new dog garden accompanied by Battersea’s Chief Executive Peter Laurie and Lead Horticulturalist Dawn Richards who explained how this garden would be used as a special space for dogs to play, train, exercise or simply snooze in the shade. Battersea dogs Olive and Mertle were more than happy to take the garden for a test run and play a quick game of fetch with their special guest.
From the Chelsea Flower Show to Battersea
The dog garden, designed by Monty Don and Jamie Butterworth, had originally been created for the Chelsea Flower Show, before being kindly donated by the Royal Horticultural Society and BBC Radio 2 to Battersea to live on at their London centre.
Conversations with Volunteers, Garden Designers, and Supporters
Once Her Majesty had spoken with Battersea gardening volunteers, Monty Don and others involved with the garden’s development, she met with a range of the charity’s supporters including Battersea Ambassadors Amanda Holden, David Gandy, Dame Jacqueline Wilson DBE, Sarah Fisher and Sue Perkins, before officially opening the dog garden and unveiling a plaque to commemorate the special day.
Our CEO Reflects on a Royal Day
“It was an absolute honour to welcome our Patron, Her Majesty The Queen, to Battersea and introduce her to our dedicated staff, volunteers and supporters. During the visit, Her Majesty officially opened our new dog garden – a sensory space that the dogs in our care will benefit from tremendously.
With so many animals arriving at our centres each year, it is vital that we create calm and enriching environments where they can exercise, train and relax...We are incredibly fortunate to have a Patron that has been a longstanding supporter of Battersea and who understands the importance of the work that rescues do.
Today was a wonderful opportunity to talk with Her Majesty about the work we are doing at our centres and further afield, as well as share our ambitions for the future to help millions of dogs and cats worldwide.”
– Battersea’s Chief Executive, Peter Laurie
A Calming Safe Space for Dogs
The new garden will be one of many spaces at Battersea’s London centre where staff and volunteers can spend time with the thousands of dogs that come through the charity’s gates each year, many of which arrive at Battersea with challenging behavioural or medical issues that the charity’s expert teams will then work tirelessly on.
Last year the charity took in 2,766 dogs and 2,454 cats at its three centres in London, Kent and Windsor, including 241 animals transferred from other rescues around the UK.
