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July 2007

At the end of May, Mrs Webmaster and I travelled to England for a family wedding. Clare had spent a few days in the UK last August, but it was my first visit since moving to France a year ago, and hence my first visit to the Trust in over 12 months.

For over e decade and a half it had amazed me that what I had seen as a gradual evolution over the winter period was regarded by regular visitors as major changes. No more.

The first thing I noticed (apart from the rain - it was Bank Holiday weekend when I arrived) was the reception and gift shop. For me it was a transformation from a familiar shop to the new, slick, professional, tidy and modern reception with retail undertones. You can still buy stuff there, but it feels like more than a shop where you also pay for admission. Hard to explain - try it. Visit. Buy stuff. The education centre is also very tastefully updated and, with the first floor suite with its viewing balcony, is now adding tremendous value to the Trust facilities.

Outside, too, the changes were very noticeable. The huge aviaries devoted to the very large vultures and eagles are seriously impressive (as are the birds themselves, of course). Walking around the lower end, the eagle lawn's revised weathering mews for the hawks and eagles improve their visibility to the public, whilst giving them a retreat if the weather (or the public) are not to their liking. The addition of the woodland hawks and owls display in the superb new arena is a real boost and reinforces what we have always said - that the day's displays are all very different. I did point out to Ashley that the display could be rounded off extremely well with something like a Philippine Eagle, Harpy Eagle or one of the forest Hawk-eagles. I am not sure of the extent to which that suggestion will be followed, though. Oh yes, and I also saw in the hospital the smallest Harris' Hawk I have ever seen.

I was delighted to see the return of Campell Murn as Chief Scientific Officer and I have high hopes of seeing him raise the profile of the Trust even further.

To sum up my impressions after a year away, I would have to say that the combined talents of the Trustees and the management and staff are certainly moving the business into the twenty-first century. In so doing they are creating what is now a very significant international player in raptor conservation fronted by a highly professional visitor attraction, and with a well motivated and professional staff. All that is being done without losing the natural rustic feel that has always been one of the hallmarks of the place, as Reg and Hilary originally planned it.

Keith Channing, Webmaster (in exile)

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