Brockswood

20/06/2025

Happy Fri-yay! The animals are settled, the tools are away… and we’re finally sitting down with a well-earned brew!

It’s been a day of juggling our tasks in 30-degree heat and somehow still ending it with a smile (albeit a little smelly and sun-kissed!).

Today we’ve been:
🚿 Caring for our residents (and remembering to care for ourselves too!)
🪵 Shifting building materials for our exciting new playground project
🐍 Supporting the lovely animals over at Proteus Reptile Trust while covering for one of our brilliant colleagues
👩‍🎓Spending a special final day with our dudley_college Foundation students
🪴Gardening and working on new signage to share the unique stories and personalities of our special animals
💚 Welcoming wonderful visitors and chatting about our work here at the sanctuary

All in a day’s work… and all made possible by longer days, lighter nights, and the amazing people who support us; whether you’re part of our team, a visitor, or cheering us on from afar 💕

Here’s to summer days, sanctuary magic, and a cold drink at the end of it all! We hope you’re relaxing too!

18/06/2025

It’s getting hot out there, and our resident rescue dog, Ben, has some very important words of wisdom for you and your waggy friends! Whether you’re visiting the sanctuary or heading out for walkies, take a moment to check out our top tips for keeping dogs safe and cool this weekend.

Don’t forget, we’re dog-friendly across the whole site, so if your pup’s joining you, bring them in and let us know if you need a shady spot or a water top-up. We’re here to help (and we love any excuse to meet your dogs!)

Please read our full post below and give your dog a cuddle from us 🐶💚

We're expecting a scorcher this weekend (30°C+!), and while you might be dreaming of cocktails and working on that tan, your dog is likely just dreaming of shade and a good nap.

Here are some top tips for keeping your furry friends cool:

• Stick to early morning or evening strolls and avoid that midday sun if possible!
• Keep water bowls topped up and maybe freeze some tasty treats for extra points from your waggy pals - it can be as simple as some mashed banana in ice cube trays, or why not pop into the sanctuary and pick up a couple of tubs of dog ice-cream?
• Will the real Slim Shady please lie down? Make sure your pooches have some shady spots or get creative and build a sail out of that old sheet you've been meaning to get rid of.
• Do the 5-second hand test - if you can’t hold your hand on the ground comfortably, your dog’s paws definitely can’t handle it. Those toe beans are precious.
• We can't stress it enough... hot cars are bad. Always. Brockswood is an entirely dog-friendly space, so if your pup's with you, bring them in with you. We don’t want to see any dogs left in hot cars, even for “just a minute.” It’s never safe, even with windows cracked.
If you're unsure, grab a team member - we're always happy to help you find a shady spot or a water bowl (we love any excuse to meet them too!)

🐕 Booked a slot in the dog run? You'll find natural shady spots and cool water on hand, but as a sanctuary, animal welfare is our top priority. If it’s too hot, grab yourself a Wagnum and drop us an email - we’ll be happy to help you reschedule.

Top tip: Sign up on our website and you can manage your bookings yourself - no need to wait for us!

Stay cool, stay pawsome, and enjoy the weather together safely.

Marshfield Farm Ice Cream

18/06/2025

This week’s Maintenance Monday was a big one, with another amazing group from DPD UK joining us for a corporate volunteer day - just in time to help us prepare for the incoming heatwave!

Together, we:
🔨 Continued work on our new play area
🌿 Installed temporary shade structures across several paddocks to help our residents stay cool
🐔 And set up a brand new chicken feeding station for one of our flocks, using a fantastic pest-proof feeder kindly donated by our lovely supporter Kim, who cares deeply about our birds!

We’re so grateful for the enthusiasm and hard work the team brought to the sanctuary. It’s this kind of teamwork that helps keep Brockswood going strong and means we can achieve even more.

Interested in a corporate volunteer day with us? Get in touch - we’d love to welcome you!

17/06/2025

With temperatures rising this week, our team is working hard to keep everyone safe and comfortable in the heat!

For our residents, that means:
☀️ Plenty of fresh, cool water (topped up regularly throughout the day!)
☀️ Shady spots to snooze in, including natural shade, shelters, and specially positioned temporary sails.
☀️ Ice treats and enrichment to keep minds and bodies cool and active
☀️ Misting, hose-downs, and muddy pools for those who love a good soak
☀️ Adjusted routines as some animals are more active early in the morning and evening, so we let them set the pace!

But it’s important this special team also keep cool and safe in the warm weather, so we will be working earlier or later to avoid the hottest parts of the day, drinking lots of water and making sure we all support each other throughout the day.

Summer days at the sanctuary can be absolutely beautiful, but they’re not without challenges for us, and please, if you’re visiting us during the warmer weather, remember to: Stay hydrated, protect yourself from the sun, and be patient - some of our animals may be less visible as they take shelter from the sun!

Thank you for helping us keep everyone safe in the sunshine 🕶️

15/06/2025

This week, our sheep had their annual shear! 30 of our lovely residents were treated to a much-needed haircut, just in time for the warmer weather.

While all our sheep did brilliantly, two always stand out: best friends Timmy and Archie. These two are inseparable, and true to form, Timmy made sure to keep a close eye on his best mate throughout, watching every moment to make sure Archie was okay. As the wise and watchful head of the flock, Timmy really does earn his title – and our hearts 🐑💕

We’re so grateful to Phil, our trusted shearer, who has been joining us for many years now. He understands the way we care for our sheep, making the experience as calm and respectful as possible.

As always, the wellbeing of our sheep comes first. Shearing helps prevent dangerous issues like flystrike and keeps them cool, comfortable, and healthy through the summer months.

🌿 What happens to the wool?
We offer our raw fleece to ethical crafters and gardeners who prefer to know exactly where it came from – but the rest is cleverly recycled right here at the sanctuary! From insulating new enclosures to keeping our builds cosy and eco-friendly, nothing goes to waste.

💚 A massive thank you to our amazing volunteers who supported us throughout the day – we couldn’t have done it without you! Also our lovely supporters who joined us to see the action and learn about sheep care.

Pop by soon to see some of our flock looking a little lighter and cooler!

12/06/2025

Our sheep residents are getting their summer haircuts tomorrow! Our lovely shearer will be visiting to carefully remove their fleeces, helping to keep them comfortable and cool through the warmer months ahead ✂️

Shearing is an essential part of caring for our sheep. Many of the breeds we care for have been selectively bred to grow heavy fleeces that would cause discomfort and even serious welfare issues if not removed each year, so this is a really important part of keeping them healthy and happy.

If you’re visiting us tomorrow, you’re welcome to take a peek at the process - it’s always fascinating to watch and the sheep are always glad of their lighter coats afterwards!

There will also be lots of raw fleece available once the shearing is finished. If you’re a wool crafter or know someone who would like to use some, you’re very welcome to take some home. We know that opinions on using fleece can differ, but rather than seeing it go to waste, we’d love to see it put to good use by those who value crafting with fleece from an ethical source.

Hope to see some of you tomorrow! 🐏💚

12/06/2025

A huge thank you to the fantastic group of Animal Care & Land-based Studies students who have been joining us each week from Kidderminster College. It has been wonderful to work with such a caring, hardworking, and dedicated group of young people!

Alongside their brilliant tutor, Debbie, and their lovely support team, these students recently went the extra mile by organising their own fundraiser and raised over £200 for the sanctuary! They have used this money to purchase some much-needed gardening tools, which will make a huge difference to our work here.

As many of you will know, Brockswood is spread across a 16-acre site, and keeping it looking beautiful, safe, and enriching for our animal residents (and wildlife!) is no small task! Our small team and limited supply of tools mean every set of shears, fork, rake, or wheelbarrow is incredibly valuable. Thanks to these students, we are now much better equipped to tackle all the gardening and grounds work that needs doing — and just in time for the busy summer season ahead.

We are so proud of what they have achieved and so grateful for their continued support and kindness. It is heartening to see the next generation of animal carers bringing such enthusiasm and compassion to their work. Thank you all 💚

11/06/2025

Another busy Maintenance Monday! This week we welcomed an amazing volunteer team from DPD UK who helped us make great progress on our Play Area Improvement Project. This space is so important for giving our younger supporters a fun spot to enjoy during their visit — and thanks to DPD’s hard work, we’re a step closer to bringing it to life!

The team also got stuck in helping us move one of our large animal shelters to a new paddock (no small task — it may be designed to move, but it’s still very heavy!).

💚 We’d love your help too! If you have any playground equipment you think we could use — or know of any grants or funding opportunities to help us stretch our small budget further — please do get in touch. And thank you to everyone who’s shared ideas so far — we may not be able to achieve them all right now, but every little boost helps us do more!

Huge thanks again to the DPD team and to all of you for your ongoing support!

09/06/2025

We’re so happy to announce that Meriden has now moved into his brand new aviary! This is a very proud moment for us and a real example of what your support can help us achieve!

And we want to give a huge thank you to the incredible team at Aonix Limited whose generosity and hard work have made this possible. They have given up countless days over a period of months to help us build this new home, working alongside our wonderful Maintenance Manager, John 💚

Meriden’s old aviary had stood for decades, likely since the site was first launched as a nature centre. Animal care has come a long way since then, and so has our understanding of Meriden himself.

With Aonix Ltd’s amazing help, we transformed two old aviaries into a beautiful new space designed with both modern best practice and Meriden’s individual needs in mind:

🦉 More space — we combined two old aviaries and added height to give him room to swoop and perch high
🦉 Perching choice — with varied perches to exercise his feet and encourage natural behaviours
🦉 Natural light — a special roof mesh and careful planting give him both shelter and sunshine
🦉 His favourite spot — high platforms at the front where he loves to sit and watch visitors (on his terms!)
🦉 Security and care — improved double-door access helps us provide even better welfare and biosecurity

We had been prepared for the move to be a big adjustment for Meriden — after all, he has lived in the same place since joining us 10 years ago. But to our joy, he settled almost instantly! It’s been wonderful to see him exploring, perching up high, and sitting in the sun, showing off his beautiful plumage ☀️🦉

Sanctuary visitors will now be able to see Meriden much more easily, but he also has the freedom to choose when and how close he wants to be seen, helping him feel safe and secure.

This is what we dream of doing for all our residents — providing them with homes that meet their needs, not just the limitations of the past. We could not do it without amazing partners like Aonix Ltd and the support of our community. Every donation, every hour of help, every business collaboration make these projects possible!

Together, we can keep building better futures for our animals 💚

05/06/2025

Yesterday, we began hand-shearing Shadow - one of our older, partially sighted sheep who thrives on routine, familiarity, and a gentle approach from people he knows and trusts.

While our full flock will be sheared soon by our fantastic shearer, we knew Shadow needed a slower, quieter experience. Hand shearing isn’t the fastest method, but it allows us to work entirely at the animal’s pace… and in Shadow’s case, that meant stopping partway through.

It was a warm day, and Shadow’s friends had wandered off to graze, so rather than cause any stress, we pressed pause. As a result, Shadow is currently rocking the “half-sheared lion” look — with his head and shoulders still fluffy until we finish the job in the next few days! 🦁🐑

Good care isn’t about ticking boxes - it’s about knowing each animal, listening to what they need, and adjusting accordingly.

Thanks for supporting us in giving animals like Shadow the care and respect they deserve 💚

02/06/2025

Another busy Maintenance Monday! Today John has been putting the finishing touches on a very special project – Meriden the owl’s brand-new aviary! 🦉

This build has been a true team effort, and we’re incredibly grateful to the fantastic team at Aonix Limited who have given up many days of their time to work alongside us and bring this aviary to life. Their dedication and support have been invaluable.

We’re so proud of the space we’ve created together and can’t wait to see Meriden exploring and settling into his new home. Stay tuned – move-in day is coming very soon! 💚

01/06/2025

We had a little throwback today and couldn’t believe just how tiny Timmy once was! It’s hard to imagine now when you see him – a big, confident sheep and head of our main flock – but this boy had a very different start in life…

Timmy came to us as a tiny lamb after being found in the road by some kind-hearted people who stopped and brought him to safety. He was in a bad way, and we suspect he had escaped from a vehicle, likely on his way to slaughter, before being hit by a car. Our amazing vets examined him, and the outlook wasn’t good. His limbs had suffered severe trauma, and his prognosis was extremely guarded.

But Timmy had other plans! Thanks to lots of love, patient care from both us and his adopted sheep family, as well as his incredible fighting spirit, Timmy defied the odds. Slowly but surely, he healed – and as the months passed, that fragile little lamb grew stronger, braver, and more determined. Today, you’d never guess how his story began.

Now, Timmy is thriving. He leads our flock with quiet confidence alongside his best pal Archie, and is deeply loved by everyone who meets him. He’s a wonderful reminder of what sanctuary really means: a second chance, a life beyond suffering, and the opportunity to grow into who you were always meant to be.

We love you, Timmy. 💚