Farnham Rugby Club has discovered they have more in common with our feathered friends than they might have thought, following an educational visit to Birdworld.
After announcing their partnership with the UK’s largest dedicated bird park, the club took a group from their Minis team, aged 7-11, to enjoy a bespoke, guided educational tour of the Park.
The children, proudly wearing their black and white striped rugby shirts, were led by Birdworld’s Education Team Lead, Mandy Glass, and began their visit at the vibrant flamingo enclosure, part of the Park’s newly enhanced “Flamboyant Flamingos” habitat.
While exploring the flamingos’ naturalistic surroundings, the children learned fascinating facts about balance and movement in birds – drawing playful parallels with balance and agility on the rugby pitch.
Moving on to the parrots, the children were quickly amused by the birds’ impressive vocal abilities. Mandy explained the importance of clear communication among these colourful species, noting that parrots rely on constant calls to stay connected with their flock across the rainforest canopy – not too dissimilar from teammates communicating during a game to stay organised and work together.
Next came a visit to firm family favourites, the Humboldt penguins on Penguin Island and the African penguins who reside at the Park’s Penguin Beach. Here, the children learned about agility, with Mandy explaining how both species are built for speed and precision in the water, using powerful flippers and streamlined bodies to twist, turn and change direction in seconds – skills that wouldn’t look out of place during a fast-paced game of rugby.
Further up the Park, the group passed the ferocious dinosaur models lining Birdworld’s dinosaur trail, before coming face to face with some real-life prehistoric ancestors – the Great White Pelicans. Mandy highlighted how pelicans fly in a distinctive V-shape formation to conserve energy and work as a team, drawing comparisons with structured play in rugby, where positioning and teamwork are key to moving the ball efficiently across the field.
The tour finished on a high-energy note with a visit to Birdworld’s three emus, who delighted the children as they sprinted around their enclosure at top speed. This provided the perfect opportunity for Mandy to talk about pace and endurance, explaining that emus are among the fastest birds on land – much like quick wingers in rugby, speed and stamina can make all the difference.
Nick Briggs, Farnham Rugby Club Minis Tour Sponsorship Manager, said:
“Having Birdworld on board as sponsor for our Minis Tour 2026 has been brilliant. Exploring the Park with the children showed just how well aligned our values are – family, fun and learning through play.
“The children were completely engaged throughout the visit, soaking up everything Mandy shared and showing a real excitement about nature. Linking the behaviour of birds to teamwork and communication in rugby was an inspired idea, and the children were fascinated by just how closely connected we are to our feathered friends. With our jungle-themed tour to Devon coming up, we’re really looking forward to continuing the partnership throughout 2026.”
Following the tour and a quick play in Birdworld’s new outdoor play area, Treetop Adventures, the team treated Farnham Rugby Club Minis to pizza and ice cream in one of the Park’s brand-new party rooms, located within Birdworld’s newly opened 17,000 square foot Indoor Play Barn.
The day ended with free play in the Indoor Play Barn, which has been designed as a year-round family destination, offering all-weather play, a café space for parents and carers, and interactive experiences for children of all ages.
Woodies Wheeler-Bennett, Marketing Manager at Birdworld said: “Spending time with the Minis was a great opportunity to celebrate the start of our partnership and connect with the children at the heart of the club. With their Minis Tour coming up this February, we’re excited to support the team and see the partnership grow throughout 2026.”