成人快手

It was one owl in particular that gave her the inspiration to open the owl centre, almost 20 years ago.

鈥淎s I grew up, I got into Barn owls; they鈥檙e the most beautiful creatures. I have a barn owl called 鈥楳isty鈥�; he鈥檚 coming up 21 years old. He鈥檚 still at the centre and it鈥檚 him that inspires me, it鈥檚 him that opened the centre and him that keeps me going.鈥�

One of the aims of the Owl Centre is to encourage other people to love wildlife and Jill regularly gets calls from the public about animals that need rescuing.

鈥淲e had another little tawny owl brought in a couple of days ago, it鈥檚 only a little ball of fluff, but we鈥檙e feeding it in an enclosed aviary so it鈥檚 not humanised. You put their food through a little hole so they can鈥檛 see humans and as soon as it can fly all the way around the aviary and feed itself, then it goes back to the wild.鈥�

Jill鈥檚 aim is always to release the animals back into the wild wherever possible. But she has taken in quite a range of animals over the years. 鈥楾reacle鈥� the Shetland pony now lives at the centre and earns his keep giving pony rides to children, but Jill bought him at a car boot sale on the toss of a coin.
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鈥淔ive years ago I went to a boot sale to buy wood for ongoing repairs at the centre, I went with 拢200 to buy wood and I came back with 3 ponies, no wood, just ponies!鈥�

The future of the owl centre at the moment is much brighter than last year. It faced closure due to rising insurance costs, but a massive fund-raising effort from local papers and some anonymous donors raised 拢10,000 and has kept the centre open.

鈥淭he owl centre is privately owned and I can only keep going as long as I鈥檝e got supporters. And I鈥檝e got some cracking supporters. There are people who made anonymous donations last year. And if you see this, we all know who you are and I鈥檓 so extremely grateful.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 hard work, but so rewarding. If I had to choose between the human and animal race, I鈥檓 sorry but I鈥檇 be behind the animals all the way.鈥�