The Cornish Birds of Prey Centre at Saint Columb in north Cornwall is receiving help from Network Rail Volunteers who are supplying materials and assisting the centre with building a new aviary and new wild bird hospital.

Network Rail has donated 200 sleepers that were left over from a recent track renewal project to go towards building a retaining wall before a bird hospital is built at the site later this year.

The Network Rail volunteers will visit the Birds of Prey Centre this autumn to help build the new additions to the centre. Autumn is the time of year when their activities will cause the least disruption for the centre’s birds and animals.

The centre takes in birds of prey and other wildlife that have been mistreated, injured or neglected, and provides care for them while they recover. It also occasionally takes in animals from private owners and zoos, as well as from the wild.

Besides the birds of prey, the centre is currently nursing back to health a number of wild birds, including gull chicks, swallows, ducklings, a young sparrow, starlings, and a woodpecker.

Each year, the number of wild birds requiring care increases, so the centre needs more space to house them as they recuperate. The centre hopes that the donation of sleepers and other materials will enable them to care for more wild animals in need.

Jason Pankhurst, Network Rail’s programme manager for construction services said:

“We’re so pleased to be helping the staff at the Cornish Birds of Prey Centre with their mission to look after birds and other wild animals.

“We know that charities like the Birds of Prey Centre rely on donations and funds received through people visiting their facility, which has made the past few years a challenge with covid restricting their financial options.

“This partnership shows how railway projects can benefit communities outside of the work we do to build and maintain railway infrastructure, with spare materials being donated to worthwhile causes in the local area.

“We look forward to getting stuck in and helping with the construction projects in the autumn.”

Kelly and Andy Grigg from the Cornish Birds of Prey Centre said:

“At the Cornish Birds of Prey Centre, we are passionate about providing a caring home for mistreated, unwanted, injured and neglected birds of prey and other animals, whether from private owners or other zoos.

“Our aim, and the purpose of the centre, is to educate our visitors, allow them to learn more about our magnificent and beautiful birds and provide a relaxed, informed and fun environment.

“We have just had a lovely donation of railway sleepers from Network Rail, which will be used to build the retaining wall around the bank where the hospital unit is to be built.?Thank you so much Network Rail!

“If anyone would like to help us fund the building of the new hospital, please do check out our fundraising page.”