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History of BWRC

How it all started

n 1986 an article was published in BBC Wildlife Magazine entitled “How to play God right”. Written by Stefan Ormrod, who had worked for the anti-fur campaign Lynx, the article questioned the skills of people rescuing UK wildlife. Stefan was invited to be a guest on Radio 4’s Women’s Hour opposite Les Stocker who had launched his Wildlife Hospitals Trust (St Tiggywinkle’s) three years earlier. Stefan and Les quickly found that they had more in common than expected, and that shared concern for the welfare of wild animals led to the birth of the British Wildlife Rehabilitation Council and its inaugural symposium, held at London Zoo, the following year.

The BWRC today

The British Wildlife Rehabilitation Council became a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) in 2014. It has always been run by a board of volunteer trustees who are also the voting members. We have no paid staff, receive no government or other external funding, and only receive travel and other expenses funded by our associate membership and small profits from events. The charitable object of BWRC is “to advance the education of the public in respect of the care and welfare of sick, injured and abandoned wild animals”. BWRC remains the only organisation in the UK dedicated to improving native wildlife casualty welfare through the support and education of workers in the field. As such we are often approached as stakeholders to represent the views of the wildlife rehabilitation community, and regular engagement with our associate members enables us to keep in touch with their views.

BWRC activities

BWRC still runs an annual symposium for topics related to wildlife rehabilitation where rehabilitators, veterinary practitioners and researchers are encouraged to share their expertise. We also organise other conferences and workshops and publish advice and guidelines for practicing rehabilitators and related professions. Associate members receive newsletters and updates, discounts on tickets for BWRC events and may use our membership logos to display their commitment to continuing professional development in wildlife rescue and rehabilitation.

British Wildlife Rehabilitation Council (BWRC) Terms and Conditions Individual Membership

1. Associate membership applications

Applications for associate membership will be considered by the BWRC based on criteria such as professional background, relevance to the BWRC’s mission, and completeness of the application. The BWRC reserves the right to refuse applications that do not meet these criteria.

2. Membership payments, renewals, and cancellations

Payment can be made by cheque, BACS, or Standing Order. Please make cheques payable to “British Wildlife Rehabilitation Council” and send them to BWRC, The Gateway 85-101 Sankey Street, Warrington, Cheshire, WA1 1SR. For BACS and Standing Order payments, use the following bank details:

  • Bank Name: CAF Bank
  • Account Number: 00030038
  • Sort Code: 40-52-40

 

To cancel your membership, please notify us in writing by sending an email to [email protected] stating your reason for cancellation. This reason will be recorded for internal use only.

3. Individual associate membership rights and responsibilities

Associate individual non-voting membership of the BWRC does not count as membership for legal purposes. Therefore, Associate Members do not have any voting rights, legal obligations to act in the interests of the BWRC, or any liability to contribute to the assets of the BWRC on dissolution. The BWRC is not liable for any disputes arising between the member and their organisation regarding membership.

Associate Member benefits may change without notice. Members will be notified of any significant changes via email or through updates on the BWRC website.

4. The ten principles of wildlife rehabilitation

As a member of BWRC, you will be dedicated to upholding the highest standards of care and welfare for wildlife casualties. Individual members should adhere to all of the following principles:

  1. High standards of care: I commit to ensuring the highest standards of care and welfare for all wildlife casualties.
  2. Evidence-based practices: I will adhere to professional and evidence-based wildlife care practices.
  3. Compliance and evidence: I will collect and provide evidence to demonstrate compliance with the ten principles.
  4. Random audits: I agree to participate in random audits conducted by BWRC to ensure ongoing compliance.
  5. Timely submissions: I will submit required reports within one month when selected for audit.
  6. Review and feedback: I understand that my compliance reports will be reviewed by BWRC Trustees, and I will receive feedback accordingly.
  7. Audit frequency: I acknowledge that audits will not occur more than once in any three-year period unless a complaint is raised.
  8. Member support: I agree to receive support from BWRC in gathering evidence and complying with the principles.
  9. Captivity of disabled wildlife: We do not condone the keeping of disabled wildlife in captivity. However, for centres that already have captive wild-origin animals due to historical reasons or exceptional circumstances, the following conditions must be met:
  10. Written statements: We will provide a written statement for each animal explaining why it is an exception.
  11. Evolution plan: We will have a written policy outlining our plan to transition to a situation where no wild-origin animals are kept. This includes not replacing any historically captive animals when they die.

 

5. Associate membership benefits

  • Use the BWRC Associate Member logo (not the Associate Organisation logo) for the purposes of self-promotion, but not for the promotion of a wider organisation. You may use the logo on any of your media channels, including your personal website.
  • Show your support for the British Wildlife Rehabilitation Council (BWRC) and its mission
  • Receive our regular newsletter, filled with updates, insights, and expert advice
  • Gain access to BWRC talks, events, and educational opportunities
  • Stay informed about developments in wildlife rehabilitation and conservation
  • Access to members only area on the BWRC website.

6. Terminating membership

The BWRC reserves the right to revoke or decline the renewal of membership if a Member’s actions bring the organisation into disrepute. This includes, but is not limited to:

  • Making public statements that harm BWRC’s reputation.
  • Engaging in unethical or unprofessional conduct.
  • Acting in a manner contrary to BWRC’s values and mission.

Any such decision will be made at the discretion of the BWRC, following a fair and transparent review process.

7. Variation of terms & conditions

These terms and conditions may be revised from time to time. If they are revised, we will post the revised version on the BWRC website and email it to all members. Members will have 30 days to review and accept the revised terms. Continued membership after this period will be deemed acceptance of the changes. Please note that individual membership cannot be changed to Associate Organisation and a separate application for AOM is required in these circumstances.

8. Contact information

For membership inquiries, payments, and cancellations, please contact us at: