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By Alastair HamiltonOctober 30th 2014
Alastair Hamilton
The class of 2014 IFAW Animal Action Award winners, with hosts Baroness Gale (in red) and Bill Oddie (kneeling, left), and IFAW’s Azzedine Downes (far right) and UK Director Philip Mansbridge (second from right). Jan Bevington is in the centre of the group, wearing a scarf. (Courtesy IFAW)

Decades of valuable work by the Hillswick Wildlife Sanctuary has been recognised by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) at a ceremony at the House of Lords.

Jan Bevington set up the sanctuary in 1987 when she rescued a seal pup abandoned on the beach just below her house in the village of Hillswick, which lies in Shetland's north-west mainland. Word of the facility quickly spread and, over the years, the sanctuary has been a temporary but welcoming home to many seals and otters, featuring in television programmes such as Simon King's Shetland Diaries. With her husband, Pete, and volunteers, Jan also helps with other wildlife rescue work, for example when whales, dolphins or porpoises get into trouble in inshore waters around the islands.

IFAW President and CEO, Azzedine Downes, congratulating the winners of the awards, said:

“I am always thoroughly amazed at the uplifting tales of animal welfare in action that we celebrate at the International Fund for Animal Welfare"s (IFAW) annual Animal Action Awards ceremony at the House of Lords. This is always one of the most highly anticipated events on the IFAW UK office calendar."

“The awards give us and our supporters the opportunity to draw attention to just some of the many unsung heroes who toil endlessly to improve the lives of animals. They are an inspiration to us and to many others who hear about these individuals" dedication."

"These stories give us a chance, as well, to reflect on the unique relationships between animals and people, which further enforces that our work to improve animal welfare is so vitally important.”

Also present to hand over the awards and congratulate Jan and the other winners were Baroness Gale and naturalist, broadcaster and regular Shetland visitor Bill Oddie.

Life in ShetlandCommunityNews
Alastair Hamilton

Alastair Hamilton

Alastair Hamilton moved to Shetland in 1976. Until he retired, he worked for Shetland Islands Council, latterly as Head of Planning, and was also involved in economic development.

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