A well‑known Isle of Wight bird rescue organisation has announced it will no longer respond to wild bird emergencies, after years of round‑the‑clock volunteering took a toll on family life.
The IW Bird Rescue has told supporters it is “stepping away from rescuing wild birds” and will instead concentrate solely on domestic birds.
In a statement shared on social media, Lorna Rickman and Nicki-Marie Williams, who run the organisation, said the decision came “after a lot of thought and many difficult conversations” following years of putting birds “before ourselves and even before our own families.”
They said they had been taking calls “at all hours of the day and night – from calls at 4.15am to calls at 10 or 11pm” and that this had taken “a huge toll on our family life and personal wellbeing.”
Recommended reading:
-
Ryde Town Council to offload historic Vectis Hall after 2020 purchase
-
New habitat bank launched on the Isle of Wight to help boost biodiversity
The statement continues: “We’ve missed quality time with loved ones because we were constantly taking calls or having to end conversations because another call was coming through.”
The pair also described the emotional and financial strain of driving across the Island to injured birds, only to find the animal had already died and no‑one had contacted them to cancel.
They said they had increasingly faced “rudeness and unrealistic expectations,” including being asked to remove dead birds from driveways and to “magically climb dangerous heights” to reach stranded birds, sometimes risking their own safety to try to help.
“We are proud of everything we have achieved and all the birds we have helped over the years, and we have met some truly wonderful people along the way,” Lorna and Nicki-Marie added.
“But now that there are more wildlife rescuers and organisations helping, we feel the time has come for us to step back.
“Thank you to everyone who has supported us, donated, volunteered, transported birds, shared posts, and shown kindness throughout this journey.
“It has meant more than you know.”
Although The IW Bird Rescue will no longer take on wild bird rescues, they stressed they are “not disappearing completely” and will continue their work with domestic birds.
Share