A Tale of Two Jacqui’s

Jacqui Mac lives in Scotland and Jacqui PJ lives in Dorset. Jacqui Mac is a keen horsewoman known for her success in long distance riding challenges. Jacqui PJ is just back from a horseriding holiday in Croatia not having ridden since she was a teenager. Those are just two differences between the two Jacqui’s, and I thought it would be fun to see what the commonalities are around chickens?!

Here’s what I discovered …

First Jacqui PJ in Dorset :

1. When did you first get some BHWT hens?

I adopted hens in 2009.

2. How long afterwards did you become a BHWT volunteer?

I volunteered the same year; initially as the trailer driver for the Cranleigh team in Surrey.

3. Why did you volunteer?

I've always been an animal lover and saw the BHWT ad for a driver just after I'd retired from work, so I bought a truck with a tow bar!

4. What do you do now?

Currently I'm a volunteer for the BHWT Team Dorset, and I act as Co-ordinator if required. I also became a Trustee of the Board four years ago.

5. What has been your most memorable moment?

The most memorable moment has to be when I lived on a smallholding in Devon, very near Hen Central. I was driving the charity van on the M5 with Jane (charity CEO) with about 350 hens onboard that we'd just collected from a Gloucester farm.

Then the van caught fire.

Flames appeared from the front right wheel and very quickly spread through the cab at the front, melting the dashboard. Police and the fire brigade were on site quickly and helped Jane and I lift our hen-filled crates out and away from the flames, onto the hard shoulder. Quite a scary experience, but the hens were all ok and even kept laying throughout, providing a dozen eggs as a thank you for the firefighters!

6. Any regrets?

No regrets. From the moment I became involved I have felt privileged to be part of such a fantastic team of people. Rehoming days are so rewarding; working with like-minded people and seeing the hens starting a well-deserved retirement. It's a great feeling! Long may it continue...

And then we skip up to Scotland and hear from Jacqui Mac in Perth :

1. When did you first get some BHWT hens?

I got my first four BHWT chickens in 2017.

2. How long afterwards did you become a BHWT volunteer?

In January 2018.

3. Why did you volunteer?

I've I’d grown up with my grandparents’ chickens but these were my first ever very own hens. So I went to a "Hen Party" hosted at the Royal Dick School of Veterinary Studies in Edinburgh to get the low down on how to care for them. That's where I met Mary Moore, coordinator for Perth who was manning the BHWT stand. Mary is the most wonderful caring and knowledgeable hen lady extraordinaire. She told me what the BHWT did and I knew I'd love to help. She signed me up there and then as a volunteer helper and back up driver. And the rest is history.

4. What do you do now?

Now I am a hen transporter as well as a volunteer helper. I've towed hundreds of chooks in my horse trailer to many wonderful parts of Scotland - as far as Brechin up North to Biggar down South, Dunoon to the west and not forgetting our now local rehoming centres in Denny and Dunning Glen.

5. What has been your most memorable moment?.

My most memorable moment has to be when we rehomed 1900 hens from Mary's. There were chickens everywhere in the farm yard and of course the inevitable but unforgettable Henrietta Houdini who led us a merry dance before gracefully flying up onto a crate we'd used as a blockade then casually flew down to join the others.

6. Any regrets?

My only regret would be not helping sooner!