Where does the name, "Welcome Swallow" come from?
Every organization or entity that provides goods and services prefers to have instant name recognition that creates loyalty, repeat business and buying habits that become viral. For example, this is what the Apple company rely on when launching a new cell phone or digital device. In marketing terms, a brand. There are lots of them around. The most famous ones account for a significant amount of the total value of the company. According to Interbrand, the McDonalds brand on its own, independent of enterprise operations, is worth over $40 billion, roughly a third of its total market capitalization.
The one thing that is vital to brand recognition, is authenticity; a narrative that is deeply connected to the business and indeed a logo that people can immediately relate to and understand. The Achieving Change for Children Charitable Trust (ACCCT) that operates the gallery and gifts had no problems in arriving at the Welcome Swallow name, simply because the story to be told relates directly to our premises and the business itself.
In 2013 the awning over the back door hosted nesting Welcome Swallows that could be seen and heard throughout the day. They returned each year, providing continuity and constant talking points between the volunteers. For retail, the word 'welcome' is a natural greeting and bird-life is frequently the subject of artists' interests. The nesting pair would often fly around the car park at the back of the building. The fortuitously taken photograph below is the original Welcome Swallow from which we take our name.
Our original Welcome Swallow
A special addition
Soon after the Welcome Swallow name was agreed upon, the Trust was able to acquire a superb piece of art, The Swallow & the Falling Leaf, by the famous New Zealand artist, Ray Ching, the illustrator to the British Book of Birds. This composition sits proudly in the Gallery for visitors to enjoy.
The Swallow & the Falling Leaf
Ray Ching