AMBITION

A Small Initiative with a

Big Ambition to fulfil a Dream

This is a fundraising project now into its sixth year and progressing over and above expectations. This is an honest dream of Mr Richard Emyr Wigley in memory of his wife Mrs Dilys Evelyn Wigley to support deprived farmers, a cancer charity and a public awareness campaign to educate about ovarian cancer.

My name is Emyr Wigley and I established Old Stackyard British Blues in 2016 as a charity in memory of my dear late wife Dilys Evelyn Wigley. It is intended to raise money to support Ovarian Cancer Action research and the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution.

FULFILMENT

Evelyn and I built up a dairy herd with hard work and long hours. We also had a small group of "Blues". We managed to be successful only by hard work and much self-sacrifice, with the business needs always coming first. Sound management of the business as a whole was essential, and as I have always said my wife Evelyn was the "Financial Director"

Our plans for travel, our caravan holidays, and walking in the beautiful British countryside, loved by us both were put on hold until our retirement. It was a devastating blow to learn in the first few years of our retirement, that Evelyn had ovarian cancer. She was a very special lady, kind, caring and multi-talented and after a lifetime of work the majority of her retirement years were stolen from her. Whilst tragically too late to help my dear Evelyn, I had to do something to help combat this evil disease, and be a tribute to my wife.

I decided therefore to establish this small breeding herd of British Blues, to make money for Ovarian Cancer Action and the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution, as we had a long-term connection with farming.

We had sold our farm, and built a house for our retirement, but we had kept some land, so one of the essentials was still there. I had to start again as regards buildings, equipment, fences and the purchase of pedigree livestock. As a result the herd is accommodated in a new purpose built housing unit with yardage adjacent to grassland paddocks, for managed handling and grazing. Because of their value a CCTV security system has been set up, along with bio-security TB prevention, badger-proof fencing etc.

As these animals breed and grow, and are eventually sold, this produces the funds for charities; and keeps me busy!

I have to pay tribute to the family, friends, individuals, businesses, contractors and companies who have helped me in so many different ways in the establishment of the charity. So much assistance has been given, from hours of work, to donations of necessary equipment, and substantial discounts on buildings, equipment, services etc, for which I will always be grateful.

The herd is bred to AI, is Level 1 Herd Health, totally closed. Double fenced with badger proof wire on the inside.