The British Hen Welfare Trust (BHWT) are pleased to announce that their millionth hen to be rehomed has been adopted by His Majesty The King.
The millionth hen, named Henrietta by His Majesty, was rehomed at Highgrove Gardens in Gloucestershire, along with 30 other hens, on Saturday, 17th August. Henrietta travelled in a hand-crafted carrier created by award-winning British fashion designer, Lulu Guinness. Highgrove Gardens surround the much-loved private residence of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla and are open to the public for tours, welcoming almost 30,000 visitors between April and October every year.
Founded in 2005 by Jane Howorth MBE, the British Hen Welfare Trust works to rehome commercial laying hens and encourages support for British free-range eggs. The national charity has rehomed hens in schools, community areas, prisons and back gardens across the country, inspiring the British public to see hens as much-loved pets.
Commercial laying hens are typically replaced with younger hens once they reach 18 months old to maintain maximum egg production and keep costs for consumers down, at which point the older hens are sent to slaughter. By working with farmers to provide a rehoming option for hens once their best laying days are behind them, the BHWT has proved these birds have much more life left – not just as laying hens in family gardens, but as companions.
Across the country the public have enthusiastically taken hens under their wing, helping the BHWT achieve the one million hen milestone. The top ten towns which have rehomed the most hens during this time are:
Bristol
York
Reading
Exeter
Newton Abbot
Colchester
Birmingham
Coventry
Barnstaple
Hereford
Founder and CEO of the British Hen Welfare Trust, Jane Howorth MBE said: “We’re thrilled that one million hens have been adopted and extremely pleased that Henrietta and her 30 feathered friends are heading to Highgrove Gardens. Helping a lorry load of 4,000 was my original target and we’ve exceeded my expectations by some margin! To think that so many hens have had a happy retirement gives me a great deal of pleasure as I’m sure it has for all the kind-hearted British supporters who’ve taken these deserving little creatures into their homes and hearts.
From the day I started this charity, it’s been a privilege to meet and work with people who want to help hens and to work alongside the egg industry to champion hen welfare and free range eggs.”
To find out more about rehoming and other ways to get involved visit
www.bhwt.org.uk/one-millionth-hen.
-ENDS
The British Hen Welfare Trust: Notes to Editors
The British Hen Welfare Trust was established in 2005 by Jane Howorth and is Britain’s first registered charity dedicated to rehoming laying hens while improving hen welfare across commercial and domestic sectors.
Jane Howorth was awarded an MBE in the 2016 New Year’s Honours list.
In the UK there are approximately 16 million hens kept in colony cages. The BHWT has so far found retirement pet homes for one million ex-commercial hens, all of which were destined for slaughter.
The British Hen Welfare Trust has 48 pop-up rehoming points across the UK.
The British Hen Welfare Trust has 1,400 volunteers who act as hen helpers, hen carers, hen collection drivers and hosts of hen rehoming days.
The British Hen Welfare Trust also educates consumers about caged eggs hidden in processed foods, like pasta, quiches, cakes, and mayonnaise, helping them make informed choices when shopping.
The British Hen Welfare Trust works closely with DEFRA and other agencies to develop practices and protocols to improve the lives of both commercially farmed and hobbyist pet hens.
The British Hen Welfare Trust works closely with business leaders of the British Egg Industry to influence hen welfare.
For photos and to arrange interviews please contact:
Media@bhwt.org.uk or Katie 07810 504380, Rose 07789 075522 or our Head Office on 01884 860084.
Highgrove Gardens
The King’s Foundation acts as custodian of the iconic Highgrove Gardens which surround the much-loved private residence of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla. The gardens welcome almost 30,000 visitors between April and October every year, who can share in Their Majesties’ enjoyment of the gardens. Managed organically and sustainably, the gardens have been shaped by The King’s artistic vision over 40 years, and have become an important haven for flora and fauna.
The sale of Highgrove Garden Tours, products and events support and enable the work of The King’s Foundation. Inspired by the vision and values of His Majesty, the Foundation builds and supports communities where people, places and the planet can coexist in harmony. At Highgrove, in addition to acting as custodian of the gardens, The King’s Foundation offers workshops, programmes and short courses focused on heritage and craft skills at specialist workshops on site.
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