The British Hen Welfare Trust: Some Egg-cellent Work
Higgidy has been a proud supporter of the British Hen Welfare Trust (BHWT) for a number of years, supporting the brilliant work of the BHWT team as they educate, inform and inspire the nation about all things hen welfare and free range. Here, we share some more information on what they do, why they do it and how you can get involved.
Since 2005 the BHWT has been rescuing hens from slaughter and rehoming them as pets throughout the UK. Working with farmers in the egg industry, they designed and developed the original rehoming model and have rehomed over 900,000 hens to date. *Cue round of Applause* And that’s not even the half of their egg-ceptional work…
About the hens
As the incredible milestone of 1 million hens rehomed remains in sight, it’s important to stress that the BHWT is about so much more than rehoming. The charity has a global reach and has even helped hens in Taiwan, as well as establishing a sister charity in France. Additionally, the BHWT offers a 24/7 Hen Helpline that is available around the clock to provide hen keepers with ongoing support and advice. You might be wondering, “What’s in it for me?” (Besides from some yummy eggs!). The BHWT has long-promoted the benefits that keeping hens can have on mental health and, as such, they have been adopted by prisons, schools and care homes to provide light relief for residents. These little companions have been introduced as a notion of “Hens as Therapy,” working well with a number of UK prisons and other facilities.
If you’ve ever been tempted to rehome yourself, it’s not unlike having any other pet – if you give love, you get love. And these hens have a whole lot of love to give.
If you’re not in a position to rehome a hen, there are plenty of other ways to help, from Egg Club to the charity’s Bake for Hens’ Sake! scheme (if you’re craving for that Hollywood handshake). One brave foster parent, Sue, jumped out of a plane to raise vital funds to help hens – despite saying she doesn’t even like going up ladders! Whichever way you choose to help, support is much needed and appreciated, so visit the BHTW website for lots of additional information.
Higgidy x BHWT
Higgidy appreciates the work the BHWT is doing and will continue to support its wonderful cause through raising awareness of the charity and by committing to always use free-range eggs within everything we bake.
We recently had the opportunity to hear directly from the BHWT Founder, Jane Howorth MBE: “There’s nothing better than devouring a warm Higgidy pie on a cold winter’s evening, except eating it in the knowledge that you’ve helped hens at the same time. We were delighted to have our logo on Higgidy products last year to promote the lifesaving work we do and it was great to be able to partner with a company doing so much good.
“Eating good food that’s been made with love and care is something almost as close to my heart as rehoming chickens, so working with Higgidy is a match made in hen heaven! To anyone reading this who may not have experienced the joy that hen keeping brings, please head to our website for heart-warming stories and anecdotes about how these little feathery bundles really do changes lives.”
We can’t help but agree Jane!
If BHWT has touched your heart as much as it touched ours, you can sign up to receive their monthly newsletters, plus Chicken & Egg magazine, which is jam-packed with news, interviews, articles, tips, and more – and always features a tasty Higgidy recipe and voucher! Back issues can be found here, including the most recent edition that went out at the end of October and an issue including an interview with the great Bob Mortimer!
Thanks for reading, until next time!
