We had a lovely surprise visit from Jenny, a member of the Community Matters Team at Waitrose Ipswich this morning.
Many retail outlets have a charity token box in store, where customers can vote for their favourite charity every quarter to receive a donation from the business. Due to the pandemic, most have had to stop this scheme. Waitrose instead asked colleagues to nominate charities according to the sector in which they work as part of this year's "Give a Little Love Campaign.
Jenny nominated us in the Conservation and Animal Welfare category, and was delighted to present us with a cheque for £333!
General Manager Maz says “We were very grateful for the unexpected donation and it will be used towards our Hack Pen Project.”
Hack Pens are used to rehabilitate wild birds before they are released back into the wild, following a stay at our Raptor Hospital. They are located in suitable habitats and allow the birds more space to build up fitness and to get used to the sights and sounds of the local environment. We monitor the Hack Pens using remote cameras to assess when is the best time to open the door and release the birds. We continue to feed the birds at the site until they stop visiting.
Following higher demand for our Hack Pen this year, we are hoping to construct a few more over the winter months which will allow us to have several release pens available for wild birds next year.
(L-R) Jennie, Keeper and Fundraiser, Jenny from Waitrose Ipswich, Jess, Falconer, Lincoln our Bald Eagle and Maz, General Manager.