Gavin Williamson, MP for South Staffordshire, was named as the patron of the World Owl Trust when he visited the Rodbaston Animal Zone last week.
Upon formally being awarded the new role, Gavin also received a £3,000 donation from Graham Morley, Chief Executive of South Staffordshire College, which will go towards the Trust’s £1 million Owl Centre at Himley Hall. The money will go towards two out of the 60 aviaries which will be built at the venue to house their collection of around 196 owls.
Chairman of the World Owl Trust Alan Peace said: “Gavin has been very good to us. He has physically helping us on site at Himley to clear the jungle in readiness for the building work and he said he wants to come down again. He is certainly a very hands on MP. The £3,000 donation from the college will be a tremendous benefit to the trust which at the moment has a very limited income.”
Currently 84 owls are being stored at the Rodbaston Animal Zone in Penkridge whilst there are around 100 more based at other holding sites. Gavin was shown around the Animal Zone and met Fudge and Barney who have been helped by the Trust.
Earlier this year Gavin visited the site and helped clear the site and grounds in preparation for the upcoming construction work. The site is currently expected to open again next summer.
On becoming the Trust’s Patron Gavin said: “It was an honour to be named a patron of the World Owl Trust last week. It was great to meet Fudge and Barney the owls and hand over the £3,000 from the College which will go towards the building of cages at the Himley Hall site. Many thanks to Graham Morley and all at South Staffordshire College who are temporarily housing the owls here and for the donation which will go towards two new aviaries.
“I am very much looking forward to going back to the site to see how preparations are going for the opening of the Centre next year.”