A North Yorkshire midwife who works at Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust is lacing up her trainers and running for a slightly unusual cause this autumn – the welfare of ex-commercial hens.
Rachel Clark, who lives in the village of Scruton near Northallerton, will run the Royal Parks Half Marathon in London this October 12 in support of the British Hen Welfare Trust (BHWT), a national charity that rehomes thousands of hens every year from egg farms into loving back gardens.
Rachel first adopted hens five years ago after moving to a home with some outdoor space. Since then, she’s rehomed more than 20 birds through the BHWT.
Rachel said:
Every rehoming day is such a joy – all the volunteers are lovely, and you really feel part of something meaningful
I think hens have a really rough deal.
I love all animals, but chickens in particular are so often overlooked – treated like a commodity, when they’re actually smart, curious and full of personality.
Once you’ve had them as pets, you realise how special they are. Mine are amazingly affectionate.
I just wanted to give a little something back.
Although she’s been running recreationally for 15-years, this will be her first major solo fundraising effort.
Visit Rachel’s fundraising page here:
https://www.justgiving.com/page/rachel-clark-91
Andy Hill from the BHWT said:
We’re so grateful to Rachel for going the extra mile – literally – to support our work.
Every hen we rehome gets a second chance at life thanks to people like her, and it’s always heartening to see just how passionate our supporters are.
We’ll be cheering her on every step of the way.
The Royal Parks Half Marathon takes place on Sunday 12 October 2025, winding through some of London’s most scenic green spaces.
To adopt hens simply visit bhwt.org.uk/hen-adoption and click ‘adopt’ next to the location nearest to you. Alternatively, call the BHWT Rehoming Team on 01884 860084.
