News and events

I was already a massive fan of the work that Wild Welfare does years before I started working for them. I’d never come across another charity doing anything like what they were doing, and particularly in the way they were doing it. The problem of poor animal welfare within captive animal facilities such as zoos, aquariums and sanctuaries is widespread and incredibly challenging. Instead of condemnation, Wild Welfare collaborates, working together to drive forward welfare improvements for animals in facilities across the globe. Providing training to animal care staff ensures they have the tools they need to better understand animal welfare and positively impact it through their care practices. The training we provide has proven very effective at achieving this outcome over the 11 years we have been active and being a part of the journey has been phenomenal.

A typical day for me involves a lot of desk work which was a significant change from the years I spent working as a zookeeper, but the impact I know I can have, and the animal welfare issues I am hugely aware of are my driving force. Typical days in the field, however, look very different. We might have meetings with project partners in Vietnam, give presentations at a conference in Indonesia, or conduct welfare audits and make recommendations on where improvements might be made in a facility in Japan. Of course, taking a moment to say hello to the animals is an essential part of the process. The animals make everything worth it but, surprisingly for me, they didn’t turn out to be the best part of my role. Instead it’s the people, and the changes we create within them. Meeting people who are so passionate about the animals under their care, and giving them opportunities to learn more about how to improve animal welfare is intensely gratifying. You can make friends for life, despite the language barriers.

In this line of work it’s not all about the qualifications. Particular personality traits also hold significance. Patience and level-headedness are two critically important attributes because the changes we are creating take time and the sights we sometimes see aren’t pleasant. Reacting in anger or impatience is a sure-fire way to destroy a collaborative relationship which might have taken years to build.

I recently journeyed to Weston College to give a lecture to the students about the differences between animal care and animal welfare, something I had struggled to comprehend myself when I was a keeper. It was fantastic to connect with the students and I hope what we discussed will help with their animal management practices in the future. It was also very encouraging to witness the fundraising efforts which Weston College had initiated. We are a charity after all and cannot create positive changes for animals without financial support so we were hugely grateful to everyone who chooses to get involved with our work via donations to its continuation.

Sarah Bonser-Blake, Animal Welfare Field Manager, Wild Welfare

If you would like to follow Sarah's footsteps, and work with animals, you can discover our animal management courses, by clicking here. 

Weston College and University Centre Weston’s Music Department has recently received high praise from the Boneyard Blues Band for their support in laying down six live tracks and a video for marketing purposes. The band was impressed with the level of expertise and effort put in by the staff and degree students to achieve their goal. 

Recording a live performance while ensuring there was no sound bleed across various tracks is a challenging task, but the Music Department rose to the challenge with professionalism and enthusiasm. The band commented that the level of planning and execution was outstanding, and the raw mixes produced were of exceptional quality. 

The connection between the band and Weston College came through Grahame Driver, who has a long history with the College dating back to the mid-80s. Driver, who is the lead guitar player of the Band, has had a remarkable journey with Weston College, having started as an adult learner before being employed part-time to teach at the college and then achieving the position of Curriculum Manager. Driver returned to Weston College as Special IT Project Manager before retiring and then recording with the Boneyard Blues Band at the age of 71. 

As a gesture of thanks the Band is donating £100.00 to the Music Department as a show of appreciation for the exceptional support and expertise provided by the staff and students. 

Grahame Driver said, "The level of professionalism on the day was absolutely outstanding, and the enthusiasm of the degree-level students was totally inspiring. The team under teachers Oz Cahill and Aaron Sayers were not just happy to spread a few microphones around and press record. They totally planned the day and the requirements and even in the initial raw mixes produced a quality that none of us have experienced before." 

The Music Department at Weston College is proud to have contributed to the success of the Boneyard Blues Band's recording and looks forward to supporting other musicians and performers in achieving their goals, whilst they help students develop their industry experience as they begin or develop their careers in the music industry. 

Level 1 and Level 2 Health and Social Care learners recently embarked on a project aimed at exploring creative and therapeutic activities suitable for service users. This initiative not only showcased outstanding teamwork and communication skills but also demonstrated the learners' resilience and problem-solving abilities. 

Recognising the importance of incorporating creative and therapeutic activities into the lives of service users, the Health and Social Care learners joined forces with students studying construction courses to create bug and hedgehog houses. Through this project, they sought to provide a safe and nurturing environment that would promote the well-being and engagement of service users. 

By pooling their talents and working cohesively, the learners created a supportive and inclusive atmosphere that encouraged the free exchange of ideas and creativity. 

Great work! 

To find out more about Health and Social Care at Weston College, click here. 

To find out more about BACE at Weston College, click here.