About Us

Every Feather was opened in 2011 by sisters Samantha and Stephanie Williams at their home in Over Hulton, Bolton.

In late Spring of that year they came across Fred, a feral pigeon in Bolton Town Centre. Fred was lying on the floor injured and waiting for someone to notice him. He had a broken leg, Canker and feather lice. It was decided that Fred needed to go for urgent help to a pigeon friendly rescue. The next day Fred went to a local wild bird hospital where he was euthanised as the rescue did not treat Canker. Feeling as if they had let Fred down, Samantha and Stephanie decided to open their own rescue, learn everything they could and provide a safe place for pigeons to recover.

After deciding to open the rescue Stephanie took several courses. She now holds a Level 2 in Animal Care, Level 3 in Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation and a Certificate from Edinburgh University in Conservation and Rescue. She is also a Member of the British Wildlife Rehabilitation Council.

Every Feather started off specialising in pigeons but with demand high for wild bird rescues they soon started taking in all kinds of wild birds. Last year they were proud to release two Manx Shearwater.

Specialist birds such a raptors are referred to their friends at suitable sites recommended by Raptor Rescue. Every Feather now has two sites for release aviaries: The Fletcher Site with specialist pigeon aviaries, and The Bevis Site which houses corvid aviaries, a gull enclosure and a coop for poultry.

The rescue has good working relationships with a number of local vets and are often recommended by the RSPB and RSPCA. They also work closely with other rescue centres around the UK.

Stephanie appeared on the BBC in 2019 to discuss hatching projects. In 2020 the rescue is trialling the Wild Hatchling Project as an alternative which they hope to offer to local schools, nurseries and other appropriate businesses.