New charity to step into Three Owls shoes

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Protest organiser Carley Smith

The possibility of starting a new charity to step in and continue the work that has now ceased due to the closure of the Three Owls Bird Sanctuary got a boost last night when 17 people agreed, at a meeting at Rochdale Town Hall, to pursue the idea.

The council has arranged the meeting for individuals who have contacted the council expressing a desire to pick up the work of the charity, will come together to explore the possibility of forming a new charity and bringing its work in line with the relevant legislation and have offered to explore the possibility of donating council owned land.

A representative of Three Owls, John Thorpe, was asked to approach the Trustees to see if they would be amenable to the new charity taking over the Three Owls site, Mr Thorpe said he would do so but though it “unlikely”.

Carley Smith, who used to work at Three Owls and was the organiser of a protest outside the Town Hall recently, said she hoped that the Trustees of Three Owls would donate equipment and infrastructure given that most of it had been paid for by the people of Rochdale.

Rochdale Online has offered to develop a professional content managed website, free of charge, if a new charity does get off the ground.

The meeting also heard that well known wildlife supporter Bill Oddie was taking a keen interest and had asked to be kept up to speed with developments.

A second meeting has been arranged in April and Council Head of Planning and Regulation, Peter Rawlinson, promised to report back on progress identifying suitable land/premises and to ask experts in grant funding to attend to help the new charity apply for funds.

Mr Rawlinson also explained that technical help had been offered by another bird sanctuary.