Suzanne Connett

RESCUE DIRECTOR – SOUTH WEST, CORNWALL & WALES

JOINT FINANCE DIRECTOR

I am the Rescue Director for Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, Somerset and Wales. I am also the South West events coordinator. I have a small but dedicated team to help me cover these areas.

Birdline parrot rescue has been part of my life for more than a decade now. I, like many, did not do my homework before buying a parrot. I didn’t even know there was such a charity that rescued them and only stumbled across Birdline whilst talking to a local pet shop owner. To begin with I fostered a companion for my African grey, then I got involved with events and fund raising and slowly over the years worked up to the positions I hold now.

I have a great passion for these wonderful creatures and with Birdline’s help my knowledge for them has also grown over the years and continues to grow.

Traci Kirkland

RESCUE DIRECTOR – SCOTLAND

Hi, my name is Traci Kirkland. I originally joined Birdline as I was looking for a companion for my own parrot as my working hours were changing and I wanted to offer a home to a bird in need rather than buying. After chatting to a few people on the Birdline forum I decided to offer to safehouse. It took me 6 months to get my first safehouse bird, but I understood the importance of only offering a temporary home to the right bird and Birdline only had a very few members in Scotland at this point. After a few months Birdline were short of area co-ordinators so I signed up to help. I helped form the Northern show team to help fund raise and raise awareness which I love being part of and the rest is history. I am now Director for Scotland.

I love Birdline and we have some amazing people who work so hard, we all give what we can while having busy jobs and lives. Why do I do it? For the love of the birds and as if there ever came a day, I couldn’t care for my birds I would want to know Birdline was there to promise them the care and love they are used to.

Melinda Laws

REHOMING DIRECTOR & RESCUE DIRECTOR – MIDLANDS, NORTH & SOUTH EAST

JOINT FINANCE DIRECTOR

I am the director for Rehoming and Rescue Director for the South East, Midlands and the North. I have been with Birdline for many years. I love seeing new birds find their forever homes. The satisfaction of knowing they are loved and cared for is priceless.

I started as a safe house for Birdline. This role was so important to the rescue as they could not bring birds into the rescue without the help of safehouses. I then became an ACO for Kent. This opened my eyes…seeing birds coming straight from the donor, some were in a poor state, others were loved so much but the donor could no longer cope. These were the hardest to deal with as sometimes I would be in tears with the donor. I was later made a manager, although I kept my role as area co-ordinator and still continue that role today. I was made a Director and took the role on of “Rehoming Director”. We have built a strong team up of rehoming officers who work so hard to get through the applicants, applying to foster birds. I also took the role of Director for the South East. Working alongside managers, Area co-ordinators and safehouses.

Dealing with vets for many years, due to rescue, I have a vast knowledge of health and wellbeing for the birds, it has helped me stay up to date on medications and diseases also. I have taken on special needs birds myself, some who were threatened to be put to sleep, but with care have turned around. Some stayed with me, others when they have got through their bad stages now live in homes where their needs are met and they are cared for.
I love the roles I have, although at times it breaks your heart and the stress can get a bit much some days. We continue to do what we do because seeing the process of when a bird comes into rescue and is finally rehomed in a loving safe environment, makes it all so worthwhile.

Chris Maddex

DIRECTOR & WEBSITE ADMINISTRATOR

I started my volunteer journey by supporting the website around ten years ago, and at that time we had a couple of smaller parrots, the last one being a Senegal. While unfortunately due to family circumstances I cannot have a parrot at home right now, I still really enjoy supporting the charity through the website and in any other way I can.