Aardman Partners With WWT Slimbridge to Create 'Wetland Heroes' App
BRISTOL, UK / AGILITYPR.NEWS / May 04, 2021 / Aardman Creates free app to help families connect with wildlife at WWT Slimbridge
Aardman, the multi-award-winning independent animation studio, has partnered with WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre to create ‘Wetland Heroes’ a new, free app for families.
‘Wetland Heroes’ is an interactive mobile experience that encourages visitors to explore the full extent of the Slimbridge site through fact finding missions and fun challenges that can be played by the whole family. Capturing the rich and varied wildlife at Slimbridge through beautiful illustrations inspired by wetland hero species such as the flamingo, kingfisher, otter or swan, the app offers visitors a digital guide with markers around the site that connect the real world with the digital providing a deeper understanding and connection to the wildlife.
Chloe Barraclough, Interactive Producer, Aardman adds: “The Aardman team were lucky enough to visit Slimbridge numerous times as part of this partnership and were wowed by the variety of wildlife that live there. We designed this app to encourage visitors to discover these 'wow' moments, and through completing fact finding challenges guide them to discover the less explored areas of the site. We’re excited to be finally sharing the Wetlands Heroes app with the public and trust this app will be a great way for families and friends to reconnect and explore all the incredible wildlife Slimbridge has to offer.”
Gary Haseley-Nejrup, General Manager for WWT Slimbridge says: “We are delighted to launch ‘Wetland Heroes’ in partnership with Aardman. We were keen to offer a new digital enhancement to our visitor experience. As families explore Slimbridge they can work together to delve deeper into the different wetland challenges to truly discover the secrets of Slimbridge and the wetland wildlife that live and visit here.
The Slimbridge 75 project, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund has been crucial to this new development to our visitor experience offer. This funding has enabled us to work with Aardman to build an app that enhances the outdoor space and engagement of the site. Aardman have been fantastic to work with as they have understood the value of nature engagement for families.”
The Wetland Heroes app is available to download now on Android and Apple devices.
About Us
Aardman, based in Bristol (UK) and co-founded in 1976 by Peter Lord and David Sproxton, is an independent and multi-award-winning studio. It produces feature films, series, advertising, games and interactive entertainment - such as the ‘visually astonishing’ (Guardian), BAFTA® nominated console game, 11-11: Memories Retold, and the four-times Gold Cannes Lions-winning StorySign app - and innovative attractions for both the domestic and international market, including a new 4D theatre attraction at Efteling in the Netherlands.
Its productions are global in appeal, novel, entertaining, brilliantly characterised and full of charm reflecting the unique talent, energy and personal commitment of the Aardman team. The studio’s work – which includes the creation of much-loved characters including Wallace & Gromit, Shaun the Sheep, Timmy Time and Morph – is often imitated, and yet the company continues to lead the field producing a rare brand of visually stunning content for cinema, broadcasters, digital platforms and live experiences around the world.
The studio runs the Aardman Academy which has a commitment to nurturing talent by delivering excellence in film and animation training and mentoring. The Aardman Academy offers a variety of courses from intensive one-day workshops teaching production skills and storyboarding, to comprehensive twelve-week courses for professionals in craft based subjects from model making to animation.
In November 2018 it became an Employee Owned Organisation, to ensure Aardman remains independent and to secure the creative legacy and culture of the company for many decades to come.
Aardman Interactive:
The interactive division of the multi-award winning studios of Aardman combines access to world-class directors, artists and story-writers with game designers and developers bringing the Aardman entertainment values to the interactive projects of its clients. The division creates successful mobile and online games, apps, websites, VR and AR experiences that entertain, educate and inspire family audiences around the world.
WWT Slimbridge
WWT is the UK’s leading wetland conservation charity. It was founded in 1946 by Sir Peter Scott. This year the charity and its first centre WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre celebrates its 75th Birthday.
WWT Slimbridge is a visitor centre and reserve, attracting over 250,000 visitors a year set in 100 acres of wetland paradise. From families, nature lovers and wildlife watchers, there is something for everyone at Slimbridge Wetland Centre. Slimbridge is home to all six species of flamingo, has a collection of birds from all over the world and marvellous mammals as well as bird hides across the site giving views of amazing wildlife sightings on our nature reserve on the banks of the Severn Estuary.
Slimbridge 75 was formerly called Slimbridge 2020, is a National Lottery Heritage Funded projected to open eight new exhibits and new visitor experiences at WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre.
Contacts
Anna Lewis
Anna.Lewis@aardman.comLinks