On the brink of a milestone…

As you read this magazine we are putting the finishing touches to our eggsciting new Hen Welfare and Education Centre.

It’s taken almost a year of hard work (by the builders, of course; we just sat and watched with cups of tea!) and we can’t quite believe our centre is out of the ground and almost ready to start accepting lots of feathery (and non-feathery) visitors.

Not only will the centre send thousands more hens off to become much-loved pets, it will help ensure they receive better veterinary treatment should they fall poorly which, let’s face it, all pets do from time to time. Our hen hospital will allow us to perform pioneering procedures on our feathered friends, the outcomes of which will be shared with vets around the country so more hens benefit. Hen courses for beginners and experienced keepers are also being developed and will be held at the centre.

None of it would have been possible without generous donations from our supporters, including a legacy left by the late Alan Webster. If you come to visit our centre be sure to look out for our aptly named Webster Wing.

Thanks also go to our corporate partners for their sponsorship, including Dengie, ChickenGuard, Sophie Allport, Higgidy, Nature’s Grub, Allen & Page and easichick.

Although we had planned to officially open the centre in April, the continuous rainfall and resulting muddy conditions meant we had to postpone and we're now looking at a September opening event. Check our next issue to find out more and keep track of the latest news on our social media channels.