The Wildlife Helpers - Cheshire

19/09/2026

The realistic side of rescue 🤦‍♀️😆 we thought we’d be able to get a great release video of this stunning collared dove, he however realised he was home and decided he needed to go exactly that second!

The result? A magic trick of a huge puff of dropped feathers and a disappearing dove 🕊️

The feather dropping is a classic defense mechanism where they can release the feathers easily to get away from predators, it doesn’t cause them any harm and the few lost feathers is very little compared to their thousands!

But here’s a very chaotic release video 😆 this little guy had a stay with us after being found suffering the effects of tick toxins, he quickly made a full recovery from being unable to stand or see from the swelling to his head. We were made up to see his progress so quick back to full health!

15/09/2026

I truely don’t know how I can be typing this post, the anger and devastation absolutely tearing us apart.

This morning approx 10:30-10:50am another swan who called winsford marina/flash his home was run over and killed just metres from the water.

A place where he should’ve been safe to stand, to rest, to graze. Instead some utterly evil human has used their vehicle to strike and kill a beautiful healthy bird. From the photo on the left left like a heap of rubbish on the right.

We don’t at this time believe this to have been accidental and without a doubt this would’ve been known to the driver and they did not stop and seek help.

This is just 10 days after the incident with Wendy where she also lost her life needlessly, this is some cruel sick twisted idea of fun to someone 😡 no words can express the sheer disbelief.

We will again be looking for any information even if you saw someone leaving the marina at speed during this window etc please come forward. This act cannot go unpunished.

We are still taking contributions towards the memorial for Wendy which will now become a memoir for both swans killed 💔 link to the GoFundMe below even £1 really means so much.

https://gofund.me/d255b4c04

06/09/2026

We are still in shock and absolutely heartbroken at the loss of beautiful Wendy.

If you would like to help contribute towards a community memorial in her honour we have created a GoFundMe to raise the costs of doing so.

If just 1000 people can help with £1 we will be able to cover the cost and Wendy’s memory will live on for many years to come!

Please post your photos/videos of her in the comments we would absolutely love to see them 💔🌈🦢

Hi my name is Eloise, I’m one half of The Wildlife Helpers - Cheshire. We are raisin… Eloise Pickering needs your support for Wendy the whooper swan

06/09/2026

I’ll try and make this post short and to the point! It’s not a post I want to write currently but it’s necessary.

We are so busy currently we just haven’t stopped for weeks, this is definitely the busiest season we’ve had yet and while we’ve been so busy focusing on rescues and caring for the birds (and us!) we’ve not managed to post many updates or do much fundraising and with very few donations and huge outgoings we’ve reached a critical point yet again sadly.

We are at the point where we need a serious funds boost or we will be forced to temporarily close especially to focus what’s left on the birds in our care.

With outgoing costs so high and being so busy it’s a small fortune continually for example £45 for a tub of handrear formula that is used within 2–4 weeks, £38 on 40kg kf pigeon feed which lasts 2 weeks, £13 for 100 puppy pads which lasts a week, £5-10 per pigeon on one round of tests, £10 for 20kg mixed corn for waterfowl. And that is just very select few items there is so much more plus vetinary/medication costs, bedding costs, equipment & travel costs and so much more.

That’s why we are appealing for your support more than ever, please if you can in any way help we will add our donation links especially the Amazon Wishlist where you can send much needed supplies direct to us! But not just donating please interaction with our posts, likes shares comments etc or follows etc.

And finally before I add our links we will be posting some updates and stories asap to share some recent rescues and past ones! And please interact with these too when you see them so we show up further! And thank you everyone for your love and kindness & support

If you are able to help donate the links are below ⬇️

Direct bank transfer - leave us a message or pm for the details we cannot post publically due to fraudulent use 😞

GoFundMe - https://gofund.me/899a4719c

PayPal - https://paypal.me/TWHcheshire

Amazon wishlist - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/2BMVO9KD0G7E8?ref_=wl_share

(Currently most needed items are; puppy pads, Kitchen towel, gloves, a new net & new pole and also both F10 spray and ointment)

04/09/2026

This is probably one of the worst & hardest posts to ever have to write.

Unfortunately this evening Wendy our absolutely beautiful loved whooper swan was hit by a car and killed at Winsford marina

There’s just no other words to express the hurt, pain and anger we’re all feeling right now.

But we’re posting for awareness and to ask for any witnesses to come forward and contact ourselves or the police (crime reference number 26000726611 ) it’s not currently believed to be anything other than an accident however the driver did not stop and seek help.

Also if you were at the marina around 5:30pm on 04/09/26 and may have vehicle dashcam footage of a car leaving the area quickly please also let us/police know.

Please if using a vehicle around the slip area where waterfowl may be walking or sat ensure your car is completely clear before moving off.

Please do not drive onto the slip/boat launch area and feed swans/waterfowl directly from a vehicle or car window, feed the birds in the water or just by it.

There is alot of talk already about the potential for a bench/tree in her memory and people contributing and we will be looking into this and putting a post up in the near future regarding.

Wendy was a very well known swan locally and her loss will leave a big void for many who frequent the marina.

04/09/2026

Last week we attended alongside local rescuer Rowan Colclough to the old Mollington gold club ground again to the female swan this time who had gotten herself in a pickle after catching a hook in her toe and then swallowing the end of the line attached after getting wrapped around her body too!

Thankfully it was all easily and quickly removed, area cleaned and she could be released straight back to her awaiting partner 🥰🦢🪝

27/08/2026

Great advice from our friends at Linjoy!

25/08/2026

Glow up - Pigeon edition

This tiny few days old pigeon was handed into a local vets after being found by a naughty cat 🐱
Luckily his wounds weren’t deep and quickly healed,

After being hand reared with us look how beautiful he became! All grown up and ready to go into an aviary where he can choose if he wants to fly off and live in the wild or stay on the sanctuary grounds (most do!) and live the high life with safety of a house at night, and lots of food and free healthcare 😆

We rear a huge number of pigeons and doves of all species every year, this doesn’t come cheap with handrear formula costing a lot plus any vet care/medication, seed when weaning, bedding costs, vaccinations/rings for feral pigeons and general upkeep!

13/07/2026

We are absolutely delighted this evening to bring the amazing news that the missing swan has been found and the family are home safe & sound and reunited once again!! 🥳🥳🥳

After a long tiring 6 days of searching & rescue a huge amount of teamwork between lots of people and the public! Mum known as Bliss, dad known as Myers and their clutch of 5 young cygnets were reunited as a whole this afternoon with a very chaotic release so the video is made up of smaller clips 🥰 thankfully all have come through unharmed and we all hope they have learnt the lesson and will stay away from the weir now!

A huge special thanks to all those involved including Rowan Colclough for his help on rescues & searching, Lisa for her huge efforts searching, those watching out for the missing parents & the swan lady Northwich for passing on sightings.

Without your generous support and donations we couldn’t have done this and the outcome could’ve been very different so we ask if anyone would very kindly please consider supporting us by sharing or donating please we would hugely appreciate it! Sharing posts and interacting as always are free ways to help but Links 🔗 below if you can send a small contribution.

Donations will also help cover the cost of ordering a new swan bag after ours has been ripped sadly during the rescue (photo in comments). And to help cover the costs of searching and the feed/bedding used during the last week.

PayPal - https://paypal.me/TWHcheshire

GoFundMe - https://gofund.me/899a4719c

And bank details are available for the rescue if required if you drop us a message please.