Our SWR Team
We have a team of up to 30 volunteers including our bat care trainers of whom are made up of BCT registered bat carers and licenced ecologists based in England and Wales.
Our Cardiff Team is led by Freja McCall-Stevenson who is a registered BCT carer and licenced bat ecologist in England and Wales.
Katie Watkins leads our Forest of Dean Team and coordinates the bat flight cage and dormouse project in in Chepstow. Katie is a BCT registered carer and holds several ecology licences for bats and dormouse in both England and Wales,
Isabella Stephens leads the Bristol Team and is our head baby bat carer. Isabella is both BCT registered and a licenced bat ecologist for both Wales and England.
Here are a few photos of our team in action.
Meet our Cofounders
I am a registered bat carer under The Bat Conservation Trust and I have been a bat carer since 2017. I have rehabilitated a variety of species from birds to bats, manatees to monkeys. I am a licensed ecologist with both Natural England and Natural Resources Wales bat level 1 and 2 licenses. I have a BSc in Zoology and an MSc in Global Wildlife Health and Conservation. I wish to create a safe space for both people and wildlife, to grow and work together and make a positive difference to our UK wildlife species in the form of rescue, rehabilitate and release.
Ashley Dale, Volunteer Coordinator, Bat Care Trainer, Ecologist, BSc, MSc, MRSB Coordin
My love of wildlife began when I small, when I watched the birds in my nan’s garden and she would tell me all about them. I went on to study Animal Management and volunteered as a zookeeper for 2 years with Dartmoor Zoo, mainly working with big cats and bears. I graduated with a BSc from UWE in Wildlife Conservation in 2017 and began training as a bat carer in 2018. Now I avidly defend and protect wildlife whenever the opportunity arises. I am a permanent member of staff of the Bat Conservation Trust and want to make a positive impact on bats and the bat care community in the UK.
Charley Bird, Bat Care Trainer, Ecologist, Bat Conservation Trust Staff, BSc
I've always had a keen interest in animals from a young age, rescuing wildlife as a child and enjoying learning about nature - especially ponds! However, bats have always been a favourite and I remember doing a large project on them in Year 4 and again during my foundation Art year. I'm a professional animal Artist now an have a passion for a variety of species so when the opportunity to learn more arose, I couldn't wait to be more involved.
Naomi Joy, Baby Bat Care Trainer, Wildlife Artist, BSc
I cannot remember a time where I was not interested in animals. I frequently dazzled my parents with strange animal facts which I had read at primary school. My passion for bats stemmed from a talk from the Avon bat group in which they brought education bats into my primary school, I have been captivated by them ever since. This passion lead me to study diploma Animal Management at Hartpury College and a Zoology BSc at Reading University.