Dear All,
2018 has certainly been a memorable year at Bunny Burrows. The bad weather at the start of the year made us all want to join the tortoises in hibernation!
Spring arrived and the Hot X Bunny Day was soon upon us. What a great day we all had the first year that the new girl Fliss, my King Charles spaniel, joined us all dressed for the occasion with her Easter bonnet. The atmosphere was amazing friends – old and new attended. Refreshments, tombola, plenty of stalls, bunnies and guinea pigs to hug – what more can one ask for?? To top it all we made some money! Looking forward to 2019 Palm Sunday Hot X Bunny event and hope to see you all there again.
The summer was amazing for myself, especially loving the warm and sometimes hot, sunny days sat in the garden watching all of the tortoises – the original 12 plus the new member so now a total of 13. Bunnies running around too – roll on summer 2019!
The garden is now complete with a huge walk in run for the resident wild rabbits that are not fit enough to return to the wild. They are great fun to watch whilst they are playing – so intelligent! Thanks to Dave and his expertise which has made an amazing play area for them.
The ebaying continues with huge thanks to so many of you very generous supporters that give amazing items to sell. We now have a female mannequin we call Marilyn to display the garments on. She gave the window cleaner a bit of a fright when he spotted her in the spare bedroom in a state of undress!!!
We have been fortunate this year to get a grant from Lush and also Pets @ Home – such a great help. The worry of Myxomatosis, VHD and RHD2 means lots of vaccine is required to keep the furries all safe. Even the hand reared wild rabbits are vaccinated before returning to the wild.
June was a very special time as I had a surprise letter to say the Queen had honoured me in her birthday honours list. I would never have thought in a million years I would receive the British Empire Medal for doing something I love so dearly – I wake up each morning to spend my days with such special creatures. The medal was presented to me in the company of 4 special people in my life alongside 5 other recipients – certainly a day to remember.
Thank goodness at the age of 72 I have no intention of slowing down! The animals are my life – the family has not only increased in numbers with the extra tortoise, but we also have a second aquarium and an African Albino Pygmy hedgehog, of course not forgetting the rabbits and guinea pigs. Fliss my dog has been with me a year now and oh how I adore her. We are inseparable – goodness knows how I am going to sneak her into Buckingham Palace when I go to the garden party next year…!
I realised this week that although I live in a 3 bedroom semi, I really live in a bed sit! I have a bedroom, Bathroom and kitchen: – bedroom 2 is owned by 2 rabbits Mischief and Henley and bedroom 3 is full of eBay items and Marilyn the mannequin. Downstairs there are rabbits Hans and Gretel, 2 aquariums and Fliss. What used to be the garage is extended and is full of rabbits, guinea pigs, 3 tortoises and Jo Huffington’s hedgehog.
Garden with runs, sheds with hibernating tortoises and animal bedding. Would I have it any other way – NO!!!
As ever, thank you all so much for your continued support in whatever way that comes to us – without you we really could not continue to fulfil such an important role in helping our furry friends THANK YOU!
Best wishes to one and all for Christmas and a healthy, happy 2019!!!
Gwen, Fliss & All at Bunny Burrows