P-p-p-picnic with the penguins

Designer of the Penguin Parade sculptures meets some real-life cool customers

Dundee’s Penguin Parade is getting us all a-flutter here in The Courier office. With the fantastic news that only 20 more penguins need to be sponsored we can’t wait to see a colony – or “waddle” – of 80 colourful giant penguins invading the city during 2018.

Designed by local artist Janice Aitken, the cool customers will be decorated by various artists and auctioned to raise funds for the vital work done at Maggie’s Dundee.

As part of the research that went into designing her penguin sculpture, Janice, a senior lecturer at Duncan of Jordanstone College of art and Design, visited St Andrews Aquarium a few months ago to take photos of their Humboldt penguins.

When she heard that St Andrews Aquarium had sponsored a penguin sculpture and managing director John Mace had invited her over to get up close and personal with its real-life counterparts, she was thrilled to bits.

The visit took place yesterday when Janice and Annie Long, fundraising manager at Maggie’s Dundee, were taken into the penguins’ enclosure.

“It was such a fun thing to do – I was like a small child!” enthused Janice.

“Four of the penguins came up to take fish from us while others were incubating eggs in their caves,” she continued.

“The keepers explained they all have their own personalities but they were very well behaved for us!”

John Mace told The Courier: “Maggie’s Centre is a fantastic charity that delivers an incredibly important service, and knowing that our colony of Humboldt penguins were the creative inspiration for the sculpture, it is only right that we should get involved.”

John Mace with Janice Aitken, centre, and Annie Long.