In our world, the simple act of opening a coop door can change a life – and not just for the hens stepping out into their retirement.
For Sue, her first rehoming wasn’t just the start of a hobby, it was the beginning of a lifelong connection that has spanned counties, milestones, and countless feathered lives.
From those early days adopting hens in Overton and Nantwich, to the incredible moment she provided the land for our Flintshire rehoming site; Sue is a cornerstone of our community. She describes being part of the BHWT family as a “dream come true”, finding a profound new sense of purpose amidst the gentle clucking of happy hens.
Joining our community of hen heroes has opened the door to new experiences, wholesome friendships, and a legacy of kindness that she is now ensuring will continue long after her.
By choosing to leave a gift to the Trust in her Will, Sue is planting seeds for a future where every hen is treated with compassion. It is a deeply personal gesture of hope, rooted in years of muddy wellies, warm hearts, and the simple belief that our work should continue for generations to come. But to truly understand the heart behind this gift, it’s best to hear it from the lady herself.
Here is Sue’s story:
“My BHWT journey began several years ago when I started rehoming ex-commercial hens and thoroughly enjoyed the experience of giving them the chance of a good retirement life.
“Then, in April 2024, I was reading the BHWT newsletter and saw that they were looking for a new rehoming site in North Wales; I immediately thought “that could be here!”, as I had an almost empty stable block, a large yard, and an all-weather area for parking – all otherwise just gathering dust. What better use could it have than as a site for rehoming hens?!
“Without a moment’s hesitation, I called Hen Central to offer my facilities as a rehoming site.
“The BHWT team were, as always, super pleasant and very interested in my offer of a potential rehoming site here, in Llanfynydd, Flintshire. A BHWT volunteer came to view my setup in person and, thankfully, was satisfied that I could indeed have a rehoming site here and I was beyond delighted! I naively imagined a thousand chickens arriving the following weekend to be rehomed, without realising the enormous preparation that goes on behind the scenes to make it all happen!
“Hen Central put a great team together for this site; all my fellow volunteers were just as passionate as I was about saving hens and we all got on brilliantly.
“There was an air of excitement for the forthcoming rehoming days but also for the rehoming of the BHWT’s one millionth hen! No one knew which site this hen would be coming from or to which high-profile individual they were going to. I’ve never been a big user of social media but the first thing I did when I got up on the 23rd of August 2024 was look on Facebook to find out who had adopted the one-millionth hen!
“It was totally appropriate that HM King Charles was that lucky person!
“Two days later, Team Flintshire’s very first rehoming day had arrived!
“The team arrived an hour before the chickens and we busied ourselves putting feed, water and bedding in the stables. Everyone had already been given their roles for the day and as we waited for the hens to arrive, we celebrated Henrietta and her new life in Highgrove Gardens, plus all the hens we’d be helping into retirement that day. We enjoyed delicious soup, baked potatoes and cakes, all lovingly handmade by the team.
“Finally, the gates were open and in drove the van with our very first flock of hens. It was a dream come true and I felt like I’d been given a real purpose in life, which I’d lost somewhat since I gave up riding horse and my husband, Colin, passed away.
“Our growing team of volunteers have all become such good friends of mine, and even after 11 rehomings, the excitement of seeing the chickens arrive has not diminished. Likewise, waving the rehomers off with their crates full of chickens, proudly beaming from ear to ear, with their children eagerly giving them names, has not diminished either.
“All of the above is why I’ve decided to leave something in my will to the wonderful British Hen Welfare Trust, as my hope is that their lifesaving work will continue long into the future and I’m proud to be able to support them – they truly deserve it.”
To find out more about leaving your own legacy, download your free guide here.
