Halcyon Days

On Friday 10 October 2008, a procession of over a hundred children and local residents made its way through the Haymill Valley nature reserve in Slough, in the culmination of Outdoor Culture's first public art project. The two children leading the parade wore cloaks of felt kingfisher feathers - every child had made one - as a gesture to welcome the Millie Kingfishers.

We were blessed with a perfect, bright autumn afternoon. The children were resplendent in kingfisher feather headresses, and the happy noise of drumming filled the woods as we strolled along the ancient mill stream. Along the way, we passed this installation of copper kingfisher amulets - every child had made one - spinning and glinting in the dappled sunlight.


Eventually we arrived at the weir at the far end of the Millie, where one day a bridge over the stream will complete a circular walk back through the other side of the wood. Here, the two leading children removed the cloaks they were wearing and we placed them over the wings of Pippa North's brilliant steel sculpture.

The Greek myth of Halcyon Days tells the story of two lovers, one drowned and the other so torn by grief that she took her own life. The gods pitied them and transformed them into kingfishers, granting them the Halcyon Days of peace and calm in which to raise their young.

Now the Millie has a new pair of kingfishers to watch over it. I hope that some of the children who celebrated with us will love this special place and look after it too. The project has given them a personal connection with the site and its wildlife: time will tell whether or not the seeds of stewardship take root and grow.