The Gloucestershire Environmental Trust has provided over £55,000 to the Barn Owl Centre aiding their move to new premises on Netheridge Farm in Hempsted.
The Barn Owl Centre was set up in 1997 to offer support to wild owls and birds that have been bred in captivity. The centre currently houses 26 birds including Barn Owls, Tawny Owls, Eagle Owls, Harris Hawks, Buzzards and Falcons which have been handed over to the centre as either unwanted pets or birds that have been mistreated by previous keepers. The centre also provides nest boxes for Wild Owls and works to conserve the native species with habitat management and education programmes on wild issues.
The Barn Owl Centre’s former site at Brockworth had become too small to adequately house the centre’s collection of rescued birds. Relocation to a larger site at Netheridge Farm was decided as the best way to support the expansion of the centre’s aims and objectives in the field of Education, Conservation and Bird Welfare.
The new location at Netheridge Farm boasts many redundant buildings, all in need of repair. The Gloucestershire Environmental Trust funding was given as part of a larger £275,000 project to redevelop the site which covers an area of over 12 acres of land.
Vince Jones, Barn Owl Centre Founder and Trustee, said: “Netheridge Farm is much different than what we had at the Brockworth site; at Brockworth we had very little freedom to operate effectively with a small area of approximately 3500sq ft, too small to accommodate the expansion of our charity. All in all, moving has been a big step for us as a charity for which we would like to thank everyone who has given us support.”
The Barn Owl Centre also has future plans to create an Environmental Centre for Gloucestershire with the improvement of on-site habitat conditions to attract more wildlife to the area. A section of land close to the aviaries where the birds are kept will also be allocated as a flying field.
Jane Evans, Gloucestershire Environmental Trust, said: “The Barn Owl Centre is an important charity working to protect former captive birds and wild owls by offering education, rehabilitation and conservation programmes. The Gloucestershire Environmental Trust is happy to have been able to assist their move and wish the centre every success in their new premises. I look forward to visiting the new centre following nesting season and seeing the new flying displays.”
