Our Patrons
We are proud to be supported by so many well-known patrons including Kate Humble, Jimmy Doherty, Amanda Holden and Jamie Oliver, and we are so grateful to them for donating their time to help promote the very important work we do in helping hens.
We have had hens ourselves when our boys were younger, and it was the first time I ever tasted a ‘real’ egg. Since then, I’ve learned more about the difference between free range and organic eggs, and I think the BHWT is a really worthwhile endeavour, so to be able to help them is a very nice thing. Helping out with the Christmas cards has been great and if me being a patron leads to someone somewhere giving some hens a good home, then I’m all for it.
I was really impressed with the pragmatic approach of the British Hen Welfare Trust. They don’t just do fluffy stuff in saving lives, they genuinely want to support the British egg industry and use positive education as a means to get their message across. When we heard about the British Hen Welfare Trust, we thought we’d try some of their ex-caged hens; after a little bit of scrapping, pecking and feather-pulling early on, my little flock of 20 are now all very happy together. We just love being able to eat fresh, healthy eggs from happy free-ranging birds that we know are well cared for.
The BHWT is a microcosm of all that's good in the world. To be honest, there's so much going on right now that it's easy to think 'ah, come on, do we need a chicken charity?' but I'd argue we do, and that it's more important now than ever before. We need these small, close-to-home wins, and the BHWT allows so many of us to learn more about a massive industry and ultimately, to get involved in improving the lives and welfare of literally millions of animals.
I think the British Hen Welfare Trust does a fantastic and important job. I first came across the charity when I was making the Fowl Dinners programme in 2008, and I was trying to encourage people to go higher welfare when it came to chicken and eggs. For me, part of being a meat-eater is all about respecting the animals that are bred for our food, so it’s important for them to be cared for and well treated. The BHWT has a vital role to play.
I have been proud to be a Patron of the BHWT for several years and am delighted to have enjoyed some ex-bats with all their endearing antics. I think the BHWT does a grand job in not only helping thousands of birds destined for slaughter and raising awareness of how consumers can make a difference in improving their lives but also in their non-judgemental stance with the industry. If you’re able, please give them a little help to keep progressing their work.
In 2010 Jimmy Doherty filmed The Private Life of Chickens at the British Hen Welfare Trust’s Devon hen central to find out what goes on behind the hen-house door through a series of experiments and observations to understand the behaviour and psychology of chickens.
The British Hen Welfare Trust’s Founder, Jane Howorth, featured in the programme and more recently, the charity’s former Marketing and Communications Manager was interviewed by Jimmy for an episode of Jamie and Jimmy’s Friday Night Feast on the topic of hidden eggs.
I used to have some ex-battery hens when I was a child and remember well the sorry condition they arrived in and the pleasure it was to see them transform from sad little creatures into beautiful birds. I agreed to be Patron of the BHWT not only because I remember the hens from my childhood, but also because I, too, want to see a better life for the millions of laying hens still in cages.
We were deeply saddened by the passing of the Dowager Duchess of Richmond on 13th June 2023, aged 90. She was a wonderfully kind and compassionate woman, and we’re so grateful for her years of support as a BHWT Patron.
The Duchess became a Patron in 2005 after adopting her first flock of feather-bare hens, going on to rehome many more. She generously helped raise awareness for the charity, including a double-page feature in the Mail on Sunday, and became a regular donor, helping shape our future.
A pioneer of organic farming, she and her husband made headlines in the 1960s for adopting two mixed-race children, and she also created the concept of dressage to music, something that eventually came to form part of the Olympic Games.
We’re forever thankful for her warmth, generosity, and for giving so many hens a happy home.
