Town centre swift and bat sign

A piece of public art which celebrates and supports some of the wonderful wildlife we enjoy locally. The elegant sign stands in Gloucester Square in Woking town centre, between New Victoria Theatre, the Civic Offices and just over the Basingstoke Canal from the WWF’s Living Planet Centre

The sign, designed by 51 architecture, incorporates nesting chambers for both swifts and bats in its upper section. The middle section features finger-post style arms showing the way to Woking’s twinned towns, all atop a specially engraved, conical stone base.

View an illustration of the sign

Swifts are an incredible bird species but are sadly in sharp decline, as insect numbers fall and many buildings are no longer suitable for nesting. The UK has lost over half of our swifts over the past 20 years.

Our UK swifts migrate through Europe to spend their winter in Africa – an annual round trip of some 22,000 km (14,000 miles) – before returning to breed here late spring for the summer. The sign’s stonework base design beautifully illustrates this amazing journey, celebrating nature’s travels across the planet and through time.

View an illustration of the sign’s cone design

The nesting chambers in the sign adds to those provided elsewhere through the conservation efforts of local residents and ThamesWey in the Swifts in Woking project. 

Sharing the swifts’ amazing annual journey and giving wildlife a home in our town centre are other ways in which we are working to deliver Natural Woking, our biodiversity and green infrastructure strategy for Woking borough.

(Image credits: 51 architecture)

More information

Read our Natural Woking biodiversity and green infrastructure strategy and guidance

Find out how you can help monitor Swifts in Woking

Find out about other nature and sustainability initiatives in the borough

More about Woking town twinning

Contact us

For more information, email our green infrastructure team.

Email: green@woking.gov.uk