AFTER BEING served notice last month, a popular falconry centre is moving to a new home – and it needs £30,000 to do it.
Feathers and Fur Falconry Centre has been at Ladds Garden Village for the last 11 years, but is now raising money to move to a new site in Warfield.
Ladds Garden Village was recently sold to The Granary Group who are looking to redevelop the area.
This means all 10 independent retailers at the site must now find new premises.
Last month, we reported on Feathers and Fur’s quest to find a suitable base and readers have responded.
“We have been absolutely astounded by how kind people have been,” said Sadie Shepherd, founder of the centre.
“We’ve visited so many new potential sites – one lady even offered to buy us a patch of land,” she explained.
And the centre has now found a new home, at Moss End Garden Village in Warfield.
“It ticks all the boxes for us,” Ms Shepherd said.
“It was hard to find somewhere that met all of our requirements because we need flying space, we need to make sure the wildlife around our centre is safe from the predatory birds, and we couldn’t move too far because of our loyal, local customers – the new site is really perfect.”
And the team are already making plans to expand the centre once they move into their new home.
“We’ve always wanted to have a proper shop, a nice reception area and a cafe,” Ms Shepherd said.
“And it gives us a chance to get some new birds. I’d like a British Merlin and a female Buzzard.
“I think really great things are going to come of this – we are able to grow and I just hope we can keep up with it,” she added.
But the move will be expensive, Ms Shepherd explained.
The cost of transporting the birds, paying staff wages during a period of closure and more means that the centre is currently trying to raise £30,000 to cover the costs.
“In reality, £30,000 isn’t a lot of money. We have to rebuild so many things, like fences and aviaries, roofing and moving lorries, so it will be a massive task,” she said.
Feathers and Fur Falconry Centre will be shut for three months as it moves to Moss End Garden Village.
“We’ve never shut for this long before because we’re a small centre, so we can’t afford to,” the founder said.
The centre will be closed to the general public on Tuesday, December 1, and hopes to reopen in Warfield in February next year.
If Covid allows, Ms Shepherd plans to have a big, celebratory opening.
The centre’s crowdfunder has raised more than £10,700 so far, and Ms Shepherd hopes people will continue to support the centre both virtually and by visiting in person.
“We’re busy on weekends but we still have lots of spaces on weekdays if people want to book in,” she said.
To find out more about Feather and Fur Falconry Centre’s big move and to donate, visit: uk. gofundme.com/f/rehoming-feathers-and-fur-falconry-centre
