Pam with Oak and Furrows staff
She is often known for her sharp wit and poetic genius but a side
of one of Britain’s national treasures that is not often seen is her love for
the animal kingdom.
Pam Ayers has passionately supported Oak and Furrows
Wildlife Rescue Centre for several years, ever since it rescued a poorly badger
she found near her home outside Cirencester.
So when Pam was
approached by the centre and asked if she would like to become its patron, she happily accepted its offer without
hesitation.
Popular poet Pam is lending her support to Oak and Furrows by
taking on her role which she hopes will boost the profile of the charity and
help raise cash for its desperately needed move to a new home.
It was with great
pleasure that I accepted an invitation to meet Pam at Oak and Furrow’s
Somerford Keynes headquarters, where we sat and took in the spring sunshine
whilst she explained her passion for the centre and animals.
“I like Oak and Furrows because it gives you somewhere to
bring an injured wild animal. It is such a reassurance if you find something
injured that you have somewhere to turn to,” Pam said with a beaming smile.
“We are very lucky to have it in the area. I just think this
centre do a really great job and if I can help in any way I will.
“I would like to think that if someone finds an injured
animal they would know about OAF and if they ring they would get a good
response.
“The badger I found
was in a bad way and I didn’t know what to do with it and I rang the
wildlife centre and Paul (one of the staff members) came out in his ambulance
and took it away with such kindness and confidence and that is why I came to
support them.”
“We are encroaching on other creatures habitats everywhere,
you just have to have a look around the globe. This is just a small gesture
from me. If everyone tries to do something then a lot gets done.”
As a Patron Pam plans to speak about the centre publicly and
thinks that using social media is going to be a useful tool in getting the
message out about what Oak and Furrows do.
“I will talk about it on Twitter – I have got 29 thousand
followers – so there is 29 thousand people I can get the message across to.”
Through her role Pam will also be actively involved in the
work the centre currently does with the community, starting by judging an upcoming
animal themed picture poetry competition, which will be open to primary schools
in the area.
Pam with Oak and Furrows founder Serena Stevens
And not content with just representing the centre as its
patron, she has converted parts of land she owns outside her home in the
Cirencester area into release sites for poorly hedgehogs.
“I am looking forward to releasing them immensely, Pam said.
“I am making them a nice habitat. I have been putting
together piles of wood chippings and tree prunings and anything they could make
a home.”
Pam is best known for her witty poems and has become a
household name in a career that has spanned nearly four decades.
But she explained to
me that outside of her work as an entertainer she has always held a burning love for animals
and has supported animal charities, Cheltenham Animal Shelter and the Battery
Hen Welfare Trust by becoming their patrons.
Pam said: “I have 11 cows, eight sheep, 16 chickens and 15
guineafowls: “ I like animals a lot, they are a nice contrast for me because I
spend a lot of time doing performances and driving on the M25."
Barry Branigan, OAF general manager, told me as I left Oak
and Furrows after my delightful chat with Pam , that he Pam to ask if she wanted to be a patron after
spotting her name of the centre’s list of members and was overjoyed when she
said yes.
“I have worked for charities for the last 20 years. I have
found an essential part of raising awareness for what a charity does is having
a well known person as patron,” he said.
