Star Wars icons the Vauxhall City Farm alpacas announce they are quitting showbiz and retiring to the country for a quiet life
Two alpacas who have featured in blockbuster movie Star Wars – The Force Awakens as well as other movies and adverts, are retiring to the country.
Vauxhall City Farm have announced that their two furry stars, Ben & Jerry, are leaving for greener pastures.
During their 17 years on the farm Ben & Jerry have starred in a Star Wars film, hob-nobbed with Royalty, and featured on the BBC multiple times. Though they are no strangers to the limelight, the alpacas, and the team that look after them, have decided it is time for a quieter life and the pair will be leaving for the countryside on Wednesday February 23.
Ben, Jerry, and their late friend Tom, came to the farm in 2005, and were soon a star attraction at the Summer Sundae festivals on Clapham Common, run by Ben & Jerrys Ice Cream. This early taste of fame obviously left an impression, as in the years since they have turned their hooves to adverts, TV spots and supporting parts in films and television. They reached the giddy heights of Hollywood in 2015 when they featured in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and a 2020 meeting with Prince Edward & Sophie, Countess of Wessex, made national news.
Monica Tyler, the farm’s chief executive, said: “Ben & Jerry’s contribution to Vauxhall City Farm has been incredible. They are one of the most popular animals here on the farm, and our alpaca Meet & Greet Experiences are booked up months in advance. Though their retirement will be a sad time at the farm, we have plenty of other superstar animals ready to fill any breach they may leave behind.”
Vauxhall City Farm is one of the oldest and most central of London’s City Farms, and though in proximity to wealth, the residents of Lambeth face many challenges, including low income and poverty of opportunity.
It is currently raising money to bring new, baby alpacas to the farm to fill the gap that Ben & Jerry will leave behind. https://www.vauxhallcityfarm.org/appeal/coins-for-crias-baby-alpaca/