So here’s Jane, be inspired!

Jane we met at a hen rescue in sunny Devon all those years ago. It’s hard work but amazingly satisfying to bring hens from cages to live a free-range life. How did your love of the humble laying hens begin?

It goes back a long way; at 17 I saw Panorama Down on the Factory Farm and it was the sight of the hens kept in their cages for a year or more thar eally made an impact.  I felt was wrong that sentient creatures be used as egg machines, then when ‘spent’ sent to slaughter without ever having seen green grass or felt the wind on their feathers.

I know your parents played a big part in the BHWT becoming the Charity it is today, can you share the positivity you created from their loss?

Both my parents died within nine months of each other and it was a heartrending period in my life.  However, there was a huge positive in their loss in that the love for animals they had nurtured in me as a child, grew into a passion.  Their loss reminded me life is in the here and now, why wait to follow your dream and so I made up my mind to do something positive to help what I consider the underdog of the domesticated animal world.  My parents left me with an kind inheritance, but their greatest legacy to me was the belief I could make a difference.

You’ve got some amazing patrons on board including Jamie Oliver and Amanda Holden, what aims did you start out with for the Charity and have you reached them yet?

My aim is to see all laying hens have access outside to enjoy a free range, natural life whilst they lay eggs for us, but I wanted to achieve this by taking a positive track, working with farmers who had always been berated and blamed for their cruel farming methods.  I wanted to understand why hens were kept in cages and what I could do to positively influence their welfare without damaging the livelihood of the farmer.  I believe educating the consumer holds the key.

Jamie Oliver helped enormously when he adopted some of our ex-battery hens, then as a result he made the programme ‘Jamie’s Fowl Dinners’ in January 2008.  He showed the reality of the industry, but illustrated how the public could influence welfare through their shopping basket.  To have our message broadcast by someone as high profile was a wonderful lift and we received approximately 4,000 calls into the charity in the week after the programme.

Amanda Holden used to keep ex-battery hens as a child and fully supports our campaign.

Our goal is not yet reached, but we are making a positive difference with the likes of Hellmanns, Mr Kipling and others making the switch to using free range eggs as ingredients which permanently takes hens out of their cages.

I know how hard you work, how do you keep up the momentum?

It is hard work, and I do have the occasional day when I feel like I’m holding a tiger by its tail, but most of the time I am driven by my passion and if I have a difficult day, spending time with my ex-bats is the most grounding and uplifting remedy.  I’d recommend their de-stressing qualities to anyone!

What’s the most important things in your life right now?

Family – there is nothing like loss to remind you how precious the people around you are; my dear girlfriends who contribute and enrich my life so much, my five gorgeous dogs and, of course, my hens

Who motivates you Jane?

Motivation comes from various sources: my parents, my passion for hens, and the sense of achievement I derive from stepping into unchartered territory and succeeding – it is a powerful driver. The charity was the first to start re-homing hens on a serious scale and we now find homes for around 60,000 each year; as far as we know it’s a world first!

If you could change anything, would you?

I’d change very little, but I would like to change the relationship between consumers and farmers – we’re so far removed now from what we eat, everything comes cellophane wrapped and sanitised and in the process we’ve lost sight of respect and values leaving everything dominated by profit cost and convenience.

What are your personal dreams?

My Personal dreams?  To leave this world knowing I have helped thousands of hens enjoy a second chance in life through our adoption scheme is wonderful.  To have made a difference to the quality of life for those laying hens we leave behind at the farms, would be even better.

How do you see the future of BHWT?

More interaction with both consumers and egg industry; I’m trying to build a bridge between welfare and commerce so that everyone benefits, including the hens.

Can you sum up why hens and their welfare mean so much to you.

There are more hens shut up in cages across the planet than any other animal, nobody sees or hears them; they simply produce eggs and go to slaughter without ever experiencing freedom let alone human kindness.  Hens deserve so much more, they have an intelligence and endearing quality I want the world to know about!  And they have an added bonus as pets in that they present us with beautiful, nutritious, perfectly packaged gifts every day!

How do you balance your life?

With great difficulty!  The speed of growth within the charity has meant the last 7 years have been difficult to balance; finding that balance is work in progress!  Fortunately for me it’s the simple things in life that bring back balance quickly, like walking my five dogs, or having a nice meal out with family and friends.

What positives can you share about reaching your 50’s?

Being 50 is a FANTASTIC milestone and so far I’m loving it!  Whilst I love clothes and looking nice, I don’t feel the same obligation to keep up to speed with all the latest trends, so being 50 has given me a more relaxed approach to how I look and feel.  I’ve also found it’s a pivotal point to look back and learn and look forward with a renewed enthusiasm. I want to pack as much in as I can into this next decade.

Jane if a woman wanted to start a Charity or make a difference what advice would you give her?

THINK LONG AND HARD!  It takes an immense commitment, but if your passion is strong enough it will carry you through – even the tough times.

Jane it’s wonderful to have you join me on my blog, I’ll always be a supporter of you and your cause. I cannot look at my girls without thinking of you or see an egg or a product that contains egg without thinking of the hen that laid it! You changed my life and my shopping habits! You are absolutely WOW!

So why not adopt a few gorgeous ex battery hens,  follow BHWT on Twitter @OfficialBHWT, join them on

Here’s to happy hens,  until next time!