Ben Marshall is the Managing Director of Pensthorpe, the 700-acre Nature Reserve based in North Norfolk. Ahead of a new Flamingo Festival taking this weekend, he explains how it is part of a bigger plan to enable people to experience nature like never before
What does your job entail?
It’s extremely varied. I head up the group’s three companies which consist of the main business, Pensthorpe, plus our farm and then conservation trust. My role focusses much on strategy and growth plans for the business and supporting our fantastic senior leadership team. I am always looking how we can improve the product and offering – and reviewing where we should invest in the business to help with its longevity as well as to help with increasing customer footfall. I can also be found front of house when able supporting the team during busy periods, that way you really get to know what is happening and learn so much.
How long have you been at Pensthorpe and what makes the place so special, in your opinion?
I joined Pensthorpe in January 2023. The place is special for so many reasons, but for me, the breadth of activity and offering is vast and exciting, that combined with such a stunning setting beaming with wildlife, it’s a pleasure to come to work every day.
How has the new Flamingo Festival come about and what can people expect on that weekend?
We were looking at ways to celebrate our flock of Flamingos, we know they’re a huge pull for us and our visitors love them, they’re worthy of celebrating so it felt only right to dedicate a whole festival weekend to our feathery friends!
Will it be the first of many?
We’d love this to be an annual event, adding to our events calendar, where we have lots of plans for more events into 2025.
How are you planning to take Pensthorpe forward? Any other plans for you can share?
Pensthorpe is currently going through a period of realignment, we have spent some time working on our business goals and aspirations, whilst also creating our ten-year plan, so we and all the team have a clear vision of what we are working towards. This has seen us commit to some large investments, the biggest being our new island walkway which we hope is due to be built later this year. This 130-metre long fully accessible walkway will take visitors three metres high over our water, onto an island on the lake to experience Pensthorpe and nature like never before, it will be filled with quiet reflection areas plus habitat walls, and nature based activity hotspots, and we’re really excited to see it come to fruition.
The new Flamingo Festival at Pensthorpe takes place over the weekend of 28th and 29th September and aims to showcase the reserves flock of 66 Greater Flamingos. If your children dress in Flamingo-themed clothing, they gain half-price entry to the popular reserve. The event takes place between 10am – 5pm, and tickets can be purchased on the day, but Pensthorpe recommends booking in advance to guarantee your space. Visit pensthorpe.com.
Featured images – supplied
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